High affinity oligonucleotide ligands to chorionic gonadotropin hormone and related glycoprotein hormones

ABSTRACT

Methods are described for the identification and preparation of nucleic acid ligands to CG-related glycoprotein hormones. Included in the invention are specific RNA ligands to hCG and hTSH identified by the SELEX method.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 07/714,131, filed Jun. 10, 1991, entitled Nucleic Acid Ligandsnow U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,096, U.S. patent application Ser. No.07/931,473, filed Aug. 17, 1992, entitled Methods for IdentifyingNucleic Acid Ligands, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,163, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 07/964,624, filed Oct. 21, 1992, entitled NucleicAcid Ligands to HIV-RT and HIV-1 Rev now U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,938, andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/117,991, filed Sep. 8, 1993,entitled High-Affinity Nucleic Acid Ligands Containing ModifiedNucleotides, now abandoned. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/714,131is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.07/536,428, filed June 11, 1990, entitled Systematic Evolution ofLigands by EXponential Enrichment, now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Described herein are methods for identifying and preparing high-affinitynucleic acid ligands to chorionic gonadotropin hormone (CG) and relatedglycoprotein hormones. Chorionic gonadotropin (CG), luteinizing hormone(LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and thyroid-stimulatinghormone (TSH) constitute a family of glycoprotein hormones. The methodutilized herein for identifying such nucleic acid ligands is calledSELEX, an acronym for Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponentialenrichment. Specific examples are provided of oligonucleotidescontaining nucleotide derivatives chemically modified at the 2'-positions of pyrimidines. Further disclosed are RNA ligands to humanchorionic gonadotropin (hCG) containing 2'-NH₂ -modifications. Alsodisclosed are specific RNA ligands to human thyroid-stimulating hormone(hTSH) containing 2'-NH₂ -modifications. Further disclosed are specificRNA ligands to hCG containing 2'-F-modifications. The modifiedoligonucleotides of the present invention are useful as pharmaceuticalsor diagnostic agents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The glycoprotein hormones, LH, FSH, TSH, and CG share similar structuralfeatures and have similar mechanisms of action Pierce and Parsons (1981)Annu.

Rev. Biochem. 50:465-495; Ward (1978) in Structure and Function of theGonadotropins (McKerns ed.) Plenum Press, New York, pp 31-46; and Ryanet al. (1988) The FASEB J. 2:2661-2669!. Each hormone is a heterodimercomposed of non-covalently associated α and β subunits (Pierce andParsons (1981) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 50:465-495). In a given species, thealpha subunits are identical, and the beta subunits are different (buthomologous) for the different hormones (Rathnam (1981) in The RadioassaySystems in Clinical Endocrinology (Abraham ed.) Chap. 2, 21-34;Lustbader et al. (1993) Endocr. Rev. 14:291-311). The β subunit confersspecificity to these hormones. In human glycoprotein hormones, there isa high degree of sequence similarity in the first 114 amino acidsbetween hCG and the other hormones (LH 85%, FSH 36%, TSH 46%) (Lapthornet al. (1994) Nature 369:455-461). The homology between hCG and LHreflects a common biological function, as both proteins bind the samereceptor. FSH and TSH bind to structurally similar but distinctreceptors (Lapthorn et al. (1994) Nature 369:455-461).

CG, commonly referred to as the "pregnancy hormone," is involved in themaintenance of the early stage of pregnancy in all viviparous mammals(i.e., placental mammals and marsupials) that have been investigated bystimulating the corpus luteum to produce progesterone and relaxin(Lustbader et al. (1993) Endocrine Reviews 14:291-311). Persistence ofthe corpus luteum is essential since continued secretion of progesterone(and estrogen) is required to sustain the uterine lining and preventmenstruation. Secretion of CG increases rapidly during early pregnancy,reaching a peak at 60 to 80 days after the end of the last menstrualperiod (Vander et al. (1980) Human Physiology: The Mechanisms of BodyFunction, McGraw Hill Book Company, NY pp. 508-509). By the end of thethird month, it has reached a low level which remains relativelyconstant for the duration of the pregnancy. Concurrent with the decreasein CG secretion, the placenta itself begins to secrete large quantitiesof progesterone and estrogen. By blocking the biological activity of CGearly in pregnancy, the corpus luteum would not be maintained andpregnancy could not be sustained.

In humans, hCG has been selected as a target molecule for acontraceptive vaccine (Dirnhofer et al. (1993) The FASEB J.7:1381-1385). In order to avoid possible interference by antibodieselicited against hCG with the other glycoprotein hormones, in particularhLH, a synthetic peptide antigen corresponding to the carboxyl-terminalportion of the hCGβ subunit (hCGβCTP) has been developed. hCGβCTP, whichcomprises the amino acid sequence 109-145, is unique to hCGβ. Althoughthe vaccine should be specific to hCGβ by elicitinghCG-immunoneutralizing antibodies, recent findings suggest that hCGβCTPdoes not play a role in the biological activity of hCG (Dirnhofer et al.(1993) The FASEB J. 7:1381-1385). Thus, the biological response to hCGwas not affected by the antibodies, because the hCG-antibody complex isstill able to bind to target cell receptors (Dirnhofer et al. (1993) TheFASEB J. 7:1381-1385).

Antibody-based rapid manual tests for the detection of hCG in urine, anindication of pregnancy, are commonly available. Although the presenceof elevated levels of hCG is commonly used as a marker for pregnancy,abnormal hCG levels can also be indicative of other clinical conditions.Low serum levels of hCG are often observed in individuals prone tospontaneous abortions. Changes in hCG levels during early pregnancy mayindicate ectopic pregnancies, whereas significantly high levels of hCGin the very early stage of pregnancy may help in detecting multiplepregnancies. hCG levels are also known to be reliable markers formonitoring the course of tropoblastic tumors and testicular carcinomas(Saxena (1981) in The Radioassay Systems in Clinical Endocrinology(Abraham, G. A., ed.) Chap. 6, 73-99).

hTSH is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of ˜28 kDa and stimulatesthe synthesis of thyroid hormones. The measurement of serum hTSH levelsis important in the diagnosis of both pituitary and thyroid disorderssuch as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism (Saxena (1981) in TheRadioassay Systems in Clinical Endocrinology (Abraham, G. A., ed.) Chap.6, pp 73-99). Ligands that block the biological activity of hTSH may beuseful in the treatment of hyperthyroidism by preventing the secretionof T3 and T4.

A method for the in vitro evolution of nucleic acid molecules with highaffinity binding to target molecules has been developed. This method,Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment, termed SELEX,is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/536,428, entitledSystematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment, nowabandoned, United States patent application Ser. No. 07/714,131, filedJun. 10, 1991, entitled Nucleic Acid Ligands now U.S. Pat. No.5,476,096, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/931,473, filed Aug. 17,1992, entitled Methods for Identifying Nucleic Acid Ligands, now U.S.Pat. No. 5,270,163 (see also WO91/19813), each of which is hereinspecifically incorporated by reference. Each of these applications,collectively referred to herein as the SELEX Patent Applications,describe a fundamentally novel method for making a nucleic acid ligandto any desired target molecule.

The SELEX method involves selection from a mixture of candidateoligonucleotides and step-wise iterations of binding, partitioning andamplification, using the same general selection theme, to achievevirtually any desired criterion of binding affinity and selectivity.Starting from a mixture of nucleic acids, preferably comprising asegment of randomized sequence, the SELEX method includes steps ofcontacting the mixture with the target under conditions favorable forbinding, partitioning unbound nucleic acids from those nucleic acidswhich have bound to target molecules, dissociating the nucleicacid-target complexes, amplifying the nucleic acids dissociated from thenucleic acid-target complexes to yield a ligand-enriched mixture ofnucleic acids, then reiterating the steps of binding, partitioning,dissociating and amplifying through as many cycles as desired to yieldhigh affinity nucleic acid ligands to the target molecule.

The basic SELEX method may be modified to achieve specific objectives.For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/960,093, filed Oct. 14,1992, entitled Method for Selecting Nucleic Acids on the Basis ofStructure, describes the use of SELEX in conjunction with gelelectrophoresis to select nucleic acid molecules with specificstructural characteristics, such as bent DNA. U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 08/123,935, filed Sep. 17, 1993, entitled Photoselection ofNucleic Acid Ligands describes a SELEX based method for selectingnucleic acid ligands containing photoreactive groups capable of bindingand/or photocrosslinking to and/or photoinactivating a target molecule.U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/134,028, filed Oct. 7, 1993,entitled High-Affinity Nucleic Acid Ligands That Discriminate BetweenTheophylline and Caffeine, describes a method for identifying highlyspecific nucleic acid ligands able to discriminate between closelyrelated molecules, termed "counter-SELEX." U.S. patent application Ser.No. 08/143,564, filed Oct. 25, 1993, entitled Systematic Evolution ofLigands by EXponential Enrichment: Solution SELEX, now U.S. Pat. No.5,567,588 describes a SELEX-based method which achieves highly efficientpartitioning between oligonucleotides having high and low affinity for atarget molecule.

The SELEX method encompasses the identification of high-affinity nucleicacid ligands containing modified nucleotides conferring improvedcharacteristics on the ligand, such as improved in vivo stability ordelivery. Examples of such modifications include chemical substitutionsat the ribose and/or phosphate and/or base positions. SpecificSELEX-identified nucleic acid ligands containing modified nucleotidesare described in U.S. patent application Serial No. 08/117,991, filedSep. 8, 1993, entitled High Affinity Nucleic Acid Ligands ContainingModified Nucleotides, that describes oligonucleotides containingnucleotide derivatives chemically modified at the 5- and 2'-positions ofpyrimidines, as well as specific RNA ligands to thrombin containing2'-amino modifications. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/134,028,supra, describes highly specific nucleic acid ligands containing one ormore nucleotides modified with 2'-amino (2'- NH₂), 2'-fluoro (2'-F),and/or 2'-O-methyl (2'-OMe). Each of these applications is specificallyincorporated herein by reference.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes methods of identifying and producingnucleic acid ligands to CG and related glycoprotein hormones and thenucleic acid ligands so identified and produced. For the purpose of thisapplication, glycoprotein hormones related to CG include LH, FSH, andTSH. Hereinafter, CG, LH, FSH, and TSH shall be referred to collectivelyas CG-related glycoprotein hormones. Additionally, human CG shall bereferred to as hCG, and hCG-related glycoprotein hormones shall includehCG, hLH, hFSH, and hTSH. The invention includes the specific 2'-NH₂nucleic acid ligands of hCG shown in Tables 2 and 5. The inventionfurther includes the specific 2'-NH₂ nucleic acid ligands of hTSH shownin Table 7. The invention further includes the specific 2'-F nucleicacid ligands of hCG shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and Tables 11 and 13.Specifically, RNA sequences are provided that are capable of bindingspecifically to hCG or hTSH. Further included in this invention is amethod of identifying nucleic acid ligands and nucleic acid ligandsequences to CG-related glycoprotein hormones comprising the steps of(a) preparing a candidate mixture of nucleic acids, (b) contacting thecandidate mixture of nucleic acids with the target CG-relatedglycoprotein hormone, (c) partitioning between members of said candidatemixture on the basis of affinity to the target CG-related glycoproteinhormone, and (d) amplifying the selected molecules to yield a mixture ofnucleic acids enriched for nucleic acid sequences with a relativelyhigher affinity for binding to the target CG-related glycoproteinhormone.

Also included in the invention is the method of identifying nucleic acidligands and ligand sequences described above wherein the candidatemixture is contacted with one or more non-target molecules so thatnucleic acids with affinity to the non-target molecule(s) are removed.Further included in the invention is the method described above whereinthe non-target molecule is a CG-related glycoprotein hormone other thanthe one for which ligands are being selected.

More specifically, the present invention includes the RNA ligands to CGidentified according to the above-described method, including thoseligands listed in FIGS. 3 and 4 and Tables 2, 5, 11 and 13 (SEQ IDNOS:4-30, 34, 35, 41, 80-160). Also included in the invention are RNAligands to CG that are substantially homologous to any of the givenligands and that have substantially the same ability to bind CG. Furtherincluded in this invention are RNA ligands to CG that have substantiallythe same structural form as the ligands presented herein and that havesubstantially the same ability to bind CG.

Additionally, the present invention includes the RNA ligands to TSHidentified according to the above-described method, including thoseligands listed in Table 7 (SEQ ID NOS:42-63). Also included in theinvention are RNA ligands to TSH that are substantially homologous toany of the given ligands and that have substantially the same ability tobind TSH. Further included in this invention are RNA ligands to TSH thathave substantially the same structural form as the ligands presentedherein and that have substantially the same ability to bind TSH.

The present invention also includes unmodified nucleotide sequencesbased on the RNA ligands identified herein and mixtures of the same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1A-1C show RNase T1 cleavage patterns of 5' end-labeled H-30 (afragment of SEQ ID NO:7)(I), H-17 (a fragment of SEQ ID NO:19)(II) andH-25 (a fragment of SEQ ID NO:27)(III) RNA analyzed on 8% sequencinggels. Lane 1, untreated end-labeled RNA; lane 2, products of partialalkaline hydrolysis; lane 3, RNase T1 digestion in urea buffer; lane 4,RNase T1 cleavage in LiCl buffer; lane 5, RNase T1 cleavage in KClbuffer. Lane 6 of FIG. 1A shows the RNase T1 cleavage pattern in TEMbuffer that was used in SELEX. The right side of each autoradiogramshows the partial sequence of RNA aligned with guanines.

FIG. 2 shows a possible stem-loop structure that can be assumed byligand T-15 (a fragment of ligand 15, SEQ ID NO:43).

FIG. 3A shows a possible stem loop structure that can be assumed by hCGligand 9 (SEQ ID NO:80), FIG. 3B shows the minimal sequence of hCGligand 9 required for high affinity binding to hCG (truncated hCG ligand9TR1 (SEQ ID NO:117)). The nucleotide abbreviations C and U are themodified nucleotides 2'-F-C and 2'-F-U.

FIG. 4 illustrates the structure of hCG ligand dimer, ligand 25/9 (SEQID NO:41). The nucleotide abbreviations C and U are the modifiednucleotides 2'-F-G and 2'-F-U.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This application describes high-affinity oligonucleotide ligands toCG-related glycoprotein hormones identified through the method known asSELEX.

The SELEX method is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.07/536,428, entitled Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponentialEnrichment, now abandoned, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/714,131,filed Jun. 10, 1991, entitled Nucleic Acid Ligands, now U.S. Pat. No.5,475,096, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/931,473, filed Aug. 17,1992, entitled Methods for Identifying Nucleic Acid Ligands, now U.S.Pat. No. 5,270,163, (see also WO91/19813). These applications, eachspecifically incorporated herein by reference, are collectively calledthe SELEX Patent Applications.

In its most basic form, the SELEX process may be defined by thefollowing series of steps:

1) A candidate mixture of nucleic acids of differing sequence isprepared. The candidate mixture generally includes regions of fixedsequences (i.e., each of the members of the candidate mixture containsthe same sequences in the same location) and regions of randomizedsequences. The fixed sequence regions are selected either: (a) to assistin the amplification steps described below, (b) to mimic a sequenceknown to bind to the target, or (c) to enhance the concentration of agiven structural arrangement of the nucleic acids in the candidatemixture. The randomized sequences can be totally randomized (i.e., theprobability of finding a base at any position being one in four) or onlypartially randomized (e.g., the probability of finding a base at anylocation can be selected at any level between 0 and 100 percent).

2) The candidate mixture is contacted with the selected target underconditions favorable for binding between the target and members of thecandidate mixture. Under these circumstances, the interaction betweenthe target and the nucleic acids of the candidate mixture can beconsidered as forming nucleic acid-target pairs between the target andthose nucleic acids having the strongest affinity for the target.

3) The nucleic acids with the highest affinity for the target arepartitioned from those nucleic acids with lesser affinity to the target.Because only an extremely small number of sequences (and possibly onlyone molecule of nucleic acid) corresponding to the highest affinitynucleic acids exist in the candidate mixture, it is generally desirableto set the partitioning criteria so that a significant amount of thenucleic acids in the candidate mixture (approximately 5-50%) areretained during partitioning.

4) Those nucleic acids selected during partitioning as having therelatively higher affinity to the target are then amplified to create anew candidate mixture that is enriched in nucleic acids having arelatively higher affinity for the target.

5) By repeating the partitioning and amplifying steps above, the newlyformed candidate mixture contains fewer and fewer unique sequences, andthe average degree of affinity of the nucleic acids to the target willgenerally increase. Taken to its extreme, the SELEX process will yield acandidate mixture containing one or a small number of unique nucleicacids representing those nucleic acids from the original candidatemixture having the highest affinity to the target molecule.

The SELEX Patent Applications describe and elaborate on this process ingreat detail. Included are targets that can be used in the process;methods for partitioning nucleic acids within a candidate mixture; andmethods for amplifying partitioned nucleic acids to generate enrichedcandidate mixture. The SELEX Patent Applications also describe ligandsolutions obtained to a number of target species, including both proteintargets where the protein is and is not a nucleic acid binding protein.

The methods described herein and the nucleic acid ligands identified bysuch methods are useful for both pharmaceutical and diagnostic purposes.Pharmaceutical uses for ligands that block the activity of hCG includebirth control in human patients. Pharmaceutical uses for ligands thatblock the activity of hTSH include treatment of hyperthyroidism bypreventing the secretion of T3 and T4. Pharmaceutical uses also includeveterinary applications.

Diagnostic utilization may include both in vivo or in vitro diagnosticapplications. The SELEX method generally, and the specific adaptationsof the SELEX method taught and claimed herein specifically, areparticularly suited for diagnostic applications. SELEX identifiesnucleic acid ligands that are able to bind targets with high affinityand with surprising specificity. These characteristics are, of course,the desired properties one skilled in the art would seek in a diagnosticligand. In concurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/487,425 entitled Enzyme-Linked Oligonucleotide Assays ELONAS, thenucleic acid ligands described herein are used in a novel RNA-basedsandwich assay for identification of the hCG protein.

SELEX provides high affinity ligands of a target molecule. Thisrepresents a singular achievement that is unprecedented in the field ofnucleic acids research. The present invention applies the SELEXprocedure to CG-related glycoprotein hormones. In the Example sectionbelow, the experimental parameters used to isolate and identify thenucleic acid ligands to CG-related glycoprotein hormones are described.

In order to produce nucleic acids desirable for use as a pharmaceutical,it is preferred that the nucleic acid ligand (1) binds to the target ina manner capable of achieving the desired effect on the target; (2) beas small as possible to obtain the desired effect; (3) be as stable aspossible; and (4) be a specific ligand to the chosen target. In mostsituations, it is preferred that the nucleic acid ligand have thehighest possible affinity to the target.

In co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.07/964,624, filed Oct. 21, 1992 ('624) now U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,938,methods are described for obtaining improved nucleic acid ligands afterSELEX has been performed. The '624 application, entitled Methods ofProducing Nucleic Acid Ligands, is specifically incorporated herein byreference.

In the present invention, a systematic evolution of ligands byexponential enrichment (SELEX) procedure was used to isolate 2'-NH₂-modified RNAs with specific high affinity for hCG from a degeneratelibrary containing 40 random positions (40N) (Examples 1 and 2). RNAtruncate studies of a selected ligand were performed to determine theminimal binding domain of a selected 2'-NH₂ -modified RNA (Example 2).In addition, a SELEX procedure was used to isolate 2'-NH₂ -modified RNAswith specific high affinity for hTSH from a degenerate librarycontaining 40 random positions (40N) (Example 3). Also in the presentinvention, a SELEX procedure was used to isolate 2'-F-modified RNAs withspecific high affinity to hCG from a degenerate library containing 40random positions (40N) (Examples 4 and 5). The 5' and 3' boundaries ofthe minimal 2'-F-modified ligand 9 sequence required for binding hCG wasdetermined (Example 6). A "second generation" SELEX using a conserved 13nt sequence flanked by 13 nt of contiguous random sequence wasperformed, and 2'-F-modified RNAs with specific high affinity to hCGwere sequenced (Example 7). An hCG ligand dimer was constructed and wasshown to have the same affinity for hCG as ligands 9 and 9TR1 (Example8).

This invention includes the specific RNA ligands to hCG shown in Tables2 and 5 (SEQ ID NOS:4-30, 34-35), identified by the method described inExample 1. This invention also includes the specific RNA ligands to hTSHshown in Table 7 (SEQ ID NOS:42-63), identified by the method describedin Examples 1 and 3. Furthermore, the invention includes the specificRNA ligands to hCG shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 and Tables 11 and 13 (SEQID NOS:41, 80-160) identified by the method described in Examples 4-8.The scope of the ligands covered by this invention extends to allnucleic acid ligands of CG-related glycoprotein hormones, modified andunmodified, identified according to the SELEX procedure. Morespecifically, this invention includes nucleic acid sequences that aresubstantially homologous to the RNA ligands shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 andTables 2, 5, 11 and 13 (SEQ ID NOS:4-30, 34, 35, 41, 80-160). Bysubstantially homologous it is meant a degree of primary sequencehomology in excess of 70%, most preferably in excess of 80%. A review ofthe sequence homologies of the 2'-NH₂ -modified RNA ligands of hCG shownin Table 2, for example, shows that three groups of nucleic acids havebeen identified. Within Class I and II, the sequences containconsiderable homology; however, in Class III, there is little sequencehomology. For these reasons, this invention also includes nucleic acidligands that have substantially the same ability to bind hCG as thenucleic acid ligands shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 Tables 2, 5, 11 and 13.Substantially the same ability to bind hCG means that the affinity iswithin one to two orders of magnitude of the affinity of the ligandsdescribed herein. It is well within the skill of those of ordinary skillin the art to determine whether a given sequence--substantiallyhomologous to those specifically described herein--has substantially thesame ability to bind hCG.

Additionally, this invention also includes nucleic acid ligands thathave substantially the same ability to bind hTSH as the nucleic acidligands shown in Table 7. Substantially the same ability to bind hTSHmeans that the affinity is within one to two orders of magnitude of theaffinity of the ligands described herein. It is well within the skill ofthose of ordinary skill in the art to determine whether a givensequence--substantially homologous to those specifically describedherein--has substantially the same ability to bind hTSH.

This invention also includes the ligands as described above, whereinfurther chemical modifications are made in order to increase the in vivostability of the ligand or to enhance or mediate the delivery of theligand. Examples of such modifications include chemical substitutions atthe ribose and/or phosphate and/or base positions of a given nucleicacid sequence. See, e.g., Cook et al. PCT Application WO 92/03568; U.S.Pat. No. 5,118,672 of Schinazi et al.; Hobbs et al. (1973) Biochem.12:5138; Guschlbauer et al. (1977) Nucleic Acids Res. 4:1933; Shibaharaet al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:4403; Pieken et al. (1991) Science253:314, each of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference.Such modifications may be made post-SELEX (modification of previouslyidentified unmodified ligands) or by incorporation into the SELEXprocess.

The RNA ligands to CG and TSH described herein are useful aspharmaceuticals. This invention, therefore, also includes a method ofbirth control by administration of a nucleic acid ligand capable ofbinding to CG. This invention also includes a method of treatinghyperthyroidism by administration of a nucleic acid ligand capable ofbinding TSH.

The following examples are provided to explain and illustrate thepresent invention and are not to be taken as limiting of the invention.

EXAMPLE 1. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES FOR 2'-NH₂ -MODIFIED LIGANDS TO hCGAND hTSH

This Example provides general procedures followed and incorporated intoExamples 2-3.

Materials.

2'-NH₂ -modified pyrimidine NTPs were synthesized as describedpreviously (McGee et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/264,029filed Jun. 22, 1994, which is incorporated herein by reference).Oligonucleotides were synthesized by standard cyanoethyl phosphoramiditechemistry. The heterodimer (M_(r) =42,000; 14,000 IU/mg) and theβ-subunit (M_(r) =30,000) of hCG were purchased from either Calbiochemor Vitro Diagnostics. hLH (M_(r) =35,500), hTSH (M_(r) =27,700), andhFSH (M_(r) =38,250) were received from Becton Dickinson. The α-subunitof the hormones (M_(r) =14,900) was purchased from UCB-bioproducts.Enzymes were purchased from commercial sources.

SELEX.

A detailed protocol for SELEX has been described in U.S. Pat. No.5,270,163 (see also Tuerk and Gold (1990) Science 249:505-510). SELEXexperiments for hCG and hTSH were initiated with a random sequence poolof RNA in which all pyrimidines were 2'-NH₂ -modified. Template DNA (5nmoles) consisting of forty nucleotides of contiguous random sequenceflanked by defined sequences for primer annealing(5'-GGGAGGACGATGCGG-(N)₄₀ -CAGACGACTCGCCCGA-3' (SEQ ID NO:1); Table 1)was amplified by four cycles of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with5'-GTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGGACGATGCGG-3' (SEQ ID NO:2) and5'-TCGGGCGAGTCGTCTG-3' (SEQ ID NO:3) (Table 1) as primers. For the firstround of selection, 800 pmoles of the PCR-derived template DNA (˜5×10¹⁴molecules) were transcribed in vitro by T7 RNA polymerase (1000 U) in a3 mL transcription reaction consisting of 2 mM each of ATP, GTP, 2'-NH₂CTP and 2'-NH₂ UTP, 40 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), 12 mM MgCl₂, 1 mMSpermidine, 5 mM DTT, 0.002% Triton X-100 and 4% polyethylene glycol(w/v). After incubating overnight at room temperature, the full-lengthtranscription products were purified on 8% denaturing polyacrylamidegels, suspended in TEM buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl, 0.1 mM EDTA, 2.1 mMMgCl₂, pH 6.5) (binding buffer), heated to 70° C., chilled on ice, thenincubated with the target hormone at 37° C. for 15 minutes TheRNA-protein mixture was filtered through a pre-wet nitrocellulose filterthen washed with 5 mL of the binding buffer. Bound RNAs were eluted fromthe filter (Tuerk and Gold (1990) Science 249:505-510) and recovered byethanol precipitation. The RNA was reverse transcribed by avianmyeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase (Life Sciences) at 48° C. for45 minutes with 5'-TCGGGCGAGTCGTCTG-3' (SEQ ID NO:3; Table 1) primer.The cDNA was amplified by PCR, and the resulting DNA template wastranscribed to obtain RNA for the next round of selection. During thecourse of SELEX, the concentration of the target hormone was decreasedgradually from 3 μM to 200 nM to progressively increase selectivepressure. The selection process was repeated until the affinity of theenriched RNA pool was substantially increased as measured bynitrocellulose filter binding. At that point, cDNA was amplified by PCRwith primers that introduced BamHI and Hind III restriction sites at the5' and 3' ends, respectively. PCR products were digested with BamHI andHind III and cloned into pUC 18 that was digested with the same enzymes.Individual clones were screened and sequenced by standard techniques(Sambrook et al. in Molecular Cloning: A laboratory Manual, 2nd ed.,Part 3, pC.1, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor,N.Y.).

Determination of equilibrium dissociation constants (K_(d)).

Internally-labeled RNA transcripts were prepared by including α-³² P!ATPin T7 RNA polymerase transcription reactions. Full-length transcriptswere purified on 8% denaturing polyacrylamide gels to ensure sizehomogeneity. Gel-purified RNA was diluted to a concentration of ˜5 nM inTEM buffer, heated to 80° C. then chilled on ice to facilitate secondarystructure formation. RNA concentrations were kept lower than 100 pM inbinding reactions. Briefly, equal amounts of RNA were incubated withvarying amounts of hormone in 50 μL of TEM buffer for 10 minutes at 37°C. RNA-protein mixtures were passed through pre-wet nitrocellulosefilters (0.2μ), and the filters were immediately washed with 5 mL ofbinding buffer. Radioactivity retained on filters was determined byliquid scintillation counting. The quantities of RNA bound to filters inthe absence of protein was determined and used for backgroundcorrection. The percentage of input RNA retained on each filter wasplotted against the corresponding log protein concentration. Thenonlinear least square method was used to obtain the dissociationconstant (K_(d)) (Jellinek et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.90:11227-11231; Irvine et al. (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:739-761).

Minimal sequence determination.

Gel-purified RNA transcripts were labeled at either the 5' ends (withγ-³² P!ATP and T4 polynucleotide kinase) or at the 3' ends (with 5'-³²P!pCp and RNA ligase) and labeled RNAs were repurified on 8% denaturingat 70° C. for 5 minutes in a buffer consisting of 50 mM sodium carbonate(pH 9.0), 1 mM EDTA and 5 μg/μL tRNA. The reaction products wererecovered by ethanol precipitation and resuspended in TEM buffer.Partially hydrolyzed RNA was selectively bound to hCG at 25, 50 and 100nM before being separated on nitrocellulose filters. RNA fragmentsretained on filters were recovered and resolved on 8% sequencing gels.

RNase T1 cleavage.

Ten pmoles of 5' end-labeled RNA was suspended in 50 μL of a) RNase T1buffer 7M urea, 20 mM sodium citrate and 1 mM EDTA (pH 5.0)!; b) 10 mMTris-HCl, 1 mM MgCl₂, 10 mM LiCl (pH 6.5) ; c) 10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 mMMgCl₂, 10 mM LiCl (pH 6.5). RNA suspensions were heated to 70° C. andcooled to ambient temperature. RNA was digested with 0.2 U of RNase T1at 37° C. for 10 minutes and recovered by ethanol precipitation.Cleavage products were resolved on 8% sequencing gels.

Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Internally-labeled RNA (˜50 pmoles) was suspended either in 10 mMTris-HCl, 1 mM MgCl₂ and 50 mM KCl (pH 6.5) buffer or in 10 mM Tris-HCl,1 mM MgCl₂ and 50 mM LiCl (pH 6.5) buffer, heated to 70° C. and cooledto ambient temperature. The RNA was then loaded onto 8% nativepolyacrylamide gels prepared in standard TBE buffer containing 50 mM KClor LiCl. Gels were run at <10 mA for several hours at ambienttemperature.

For duplex competition experiments, RNA was mixed with a 200-fold excessof gel-purified, synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides before being subjectedto heating and cooling.

EXAMPLE 2. 2'-NH₂ -MODIFIED RNA LIGANDS FOR hCG

The random RNA pool did not show detectable binding to hCG in PBS bufferat hCG concentrations as high as 5 μM, under nitrocellulose filterbinding conditions. However, reasonable binding (K_(d) ˜2.5 μM) of therandom pool was observed in low salt TEM buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl, 0.1 mMEDTA, 2.1 mM MgCl₂, pH 6.5). The affinity of the enriched pool wasimproved significantly after nine rounds of SELEX in TEM buffer (K_(d)˜50 nM). Table 2 shows the sequences of individual clones derived fromthe PCR products after the 9th round. Out of 40 sequences analyzed, 25were unique. Individual sequences were categorized into three classes(Table 2) on the basis of sequence similarities. In the full-length RNAmolecules, the variable sequence is flanked by 5'-fixed(5'-GGGAGGACGAUGCGG- (SEQ ID NO:31)) and 3'-fixed (-CAGACGACUCGCCCGA-3'(SEQ ID NO:32)) sequences, which are set forth at the top of the table.The number of clones carrying the same sequence is shown in parentheses.All pyrimidines have 2'-NH₂ -modified sugars. Two conserved sequenceelements that are closely related can be identified in Classes I and II(enclosed by boxes). The conserved sequence of Class II, A/U GGG A/UACGCG GAGGGG U/A (SEQ ID NO:25) in fact, represents the 3' region of theconserved sequence of Class I, U/AG A/U GGAGGGUACGUGGAGGGG U/A (SEQ IDNO:17). The conserved sequence elements of these two classes appear indifferent locations within the variable region.

Affinity and Specificity.

Representative ligands from all three classes were characterized interms of their affinities for hCG (Table 3). K_(d) 's were measured bynitrocellulose filter binding as described in Example 1. K_(d) 'sbetween 4 and 44 nM were observed when the ligands were assayed forbinding to hCG in TEM or TESM (TEM+100 mM NaCl) buffer by nitrocellulosefilter binding. However, no binding was observed in the absence of Mg⁺⁺ions. An approximately equal affinity for hLH was observed with allsequences investigated. Based on the high degree of structuralsimilarity between hCG and hLH, this result is not surprising. On theother hand, these ligands do not bind with high affinity to hFSH or hTSH(K_(d) 's are >1 μM; Table 3), suggesting that the β-subunit is involvedin RNA binding. By incorporating a counterselection step, SELEX allowedthe isolation of hCG-specific RNA ligands (Example 5, infra). LigandH-42 (SEQ ID NO:5) binds weakly to the conserved α-subunit alone (K_(d)˜1.4 μM). The affinity of this ligand to the β-subunit of hCG is about30-fold lower (K_(d) ˜200 nM) than to the heterodimer and aboutseven-fold higher than the affinity for the α-subunit. The lack ofhigh-affinity binding to hTSH and hFSH may therefore suggest that theligand binding site is not exclusively on the α-subunit.

Truncated ligands.

RNA molecules with the minimum sequence information required forhigh-affinity binding were sought. In these experiments, two sets ofnested fragments were generated by partial alkaline hydrolysis offull-length RNAs radiolabeled at either the 5' or the 3' end. Thesefragments were challenged with hCG, and bound fragments were recoveredby nitrocellulose filter binding and resolved on sequencing gels.

The results of an experiment initiated with the 5' end-labeled H-25 (SEQID NO:27) RNA show that the smallest fragment retained by hCG at allconcentrations used terminates with G₃₂ (indicated by the asterisk inTable 4). The lack of alkaline hydrolysis at pyrimidines makes itdifficult to identify the boundary to the single nucleotide level.However, the results suggest that nucleotides beyond G₃₂ (toward the 3'end) are not involved in high-affinity binding and can be disposed of.The analogous experiment carried out with 3'-end labeled H-25 gave noapparent boundary, suggesting that the entire 5'-region of the RNAmolecule is required for high-affinity binding.

Based on the information boundary analysis, a 34-nucleotide (nt)truncated H-25 RNA (Δ25; SEQ ID NO:34) was constructed and its affinityfor hCG was determined. As shown in Table 5, the K_(d) of Δ25 is ˜25 nM,four-fold higher than the 71 nt full-length molecule. A truncatedversion of a class II RNA, H-17 (Δ17; SEQ ID NO:35), that contains the5'-fixed region followed by the 17 nt-long conserved region, also bindswith a K_(d) of 25 nM (Table 5).

Secondary Structure.

Conserved sequence elements identified in both Class I and II, as wellas, the high affinity-binding truncated version of a Class III ligand,are all rich in guanines. No apparent stable stem-loop structures can beidentified within these G-rich RNA molecules. The G-rich nature of thesesequences suggested the possibility of forming G-quartet structures. Ina G-quartet, four guanines arrayed in a square planer configuration areheld together by hydrogen bonding.

We have previously used RNase T1 as a probe to identify G-quartetstructures in RNA (Lyn et al. submitted). Guanines involved in aG-quartet structure show resistance toward RNase T₁ cleavage. FIGS.1A-1C show the RNase T1 cleavage patterns of three representativeligands from the three classes (I, H-30 (SEQ ID NO:7); II, H-17 (SEQ IDNO:19), and III, H-25 (SEQ ID NO:27)). Untreated end-labeled RNA isshown in lane 1; products of partial alkaline hydrolysis are shown inlane 2; RNase T₁ digestion in urea (7M urea, 20 mM sodium-citrate, 1 mMEDTA, pH 5.0)! is shown in lane 3; RNase T₁ cleavage in TEM buffercontaining 10 mM Li⁺ ions (10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 mM MgCl₂, 10 mM LiCl, pH6.5)! is in lane 4; RNase T1 cleavage in TEM buffer containing 10 mM K⁺ions (10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 mM MgCl₂, 10 mM KCl, pH 6.5)! is shown in lane5. Lane 6 of I shows the RNase T1 cleavage pattern in TEM buffer thatwas used in SELEX. The right side of each autoradiogram shows thepartial sequence of RNA aligned with guanines.

In all three cases, certain guanines are protected by RNase T1 in thepresence of K⁺ ions, but not in either urea or Li⁺ buffers. For example,in the H-30 sequence, guanines close to the middle of the sequencebecome RNase T1-resistant in the presence of K⁺ ions, but not in Li⁺urea buffer. These guanines are all located in the conserved sequencewith the exception of four additional guanines toward the 3' end.However, guanine doublets in the 5'-fixed region are not protected. Inligand 17, on the other hand, contiguous guanines from the 5'-fixedregion up to the 3'-boundary of the conserved region remain protected inK⁺ buffer. The reactivity of single guanines within this region, or ofcontiguous guanines found beyond this region, are not affected. In theH-25 sequence, contiguous guanines in the variable region as well as inthe 5'-fixed region are protected in K⁺ buffer. Triangles in Table 6indicate the guanines in each sequence that became protected in the KClbuffer.

The RNase T1 protection data alone is not sufficient to determinewhether the putative G-quartet structures in these RNA molecules arisefrom either inter- or intramolecular interactions. This can bediscerned, however, by the gel mobility patterns of these ligands undernative conditions. For gel mobility studies, we used the truncatedligands Δ17 (SEQ ID NO:35) and Δ25 (SEQ ID NO:34) (Table 5). Both Δ17and Δ25 exhibited electrophoretic patterns in LiCl buffer consistentwith their size. However, in KCl buffer, the two RNA sequences migratedfaster than they did in LiCl buffer. The observed high mobility of K⁺ions can be explained by the formation of intramolecular G-quartets witha compact structure. This result is in agreement with previouslypublished data on telomeric sequences that form intramolecularG-quartets (Williamson et al. (1989) Cell 59:871-880). Species migratingslower than expected for their size should be observed if intermolecularG-quartets are formed (Awang et al. (1993) Biochemistry 32:11453-11457).

To further determine whether the increased mobility of RNA in the KClbuffer is in fact due to the formation of G-quartets, we looked at themobility in the presence of three different short oligodeoxynucleotidescomplementary to three regions (5', middle and 3'-) of the Δ25 sequence.These oligonucleotides can potentially hybridize to three G-rich sites,thus preventing G-quartet formation. Δ25 RNA migrated slower in thepresence of any of the three oligonucleotides as compared to the RNAalone. This result suggests that the complementary DNA competes withG-quartet formation by forming short duplexes. As a control, the gelmobility of ligand Δ17 in the presence of the three oligonucleotidesequences was also investigated. Of the three oligonucleotides, only the5' sequence can hybridize to the 5'-region of Δ17 RNA. Consistent withhybridization, only the 5'-DNA sequence decreased the gel mobility ofΔ17. The above results collectively support the formation ofintramolecular G-quartet structures in the 2'-NH₂ -modified RNA ligandsselected for hCG.

Due to the presence of several guanine doublets within the two truncatedsequences Δ17 and Δ25, an intramolecular G-quartet structure willcontain two G-planes. The presence of more than four guanine doubletspotentially allows the formation of more than one intramolecularG-quartet. The RNase T1 protection data identified G-quartet motifswithin a long RNA molecule, but was insufficient for mapping theindividual guanines that participate in the structure. With existingdata, the accurate assignment of loop residues and the guanine doubletsthat form the guanine planes is difficult.

Effect of pH on hCG binding.

It has previously been shown that the affinity of a 2'-NH₂ -modifiedligand to its target protein can be especially pH sensitive. Thisphenomenon may arise from a change in the ionization state of either thetarget protein or the RNA ligand or both. The ionization state of a2'-NH₂ -modified RNA is especially sensitive to pH due to the pK_(a) ofthe 2'-NH₂ group pK_(a) ˜6 (Miller et al. (1993) Nucleosides andNucleotides 12:785-792; Guschlbauer and Jankowski (1980) Nucleic AcidsRes. 8:1421-1433)!. The binding affinity and specificity of the H-42(SEQ ID NO:5) ligand changes with changes in pH; above pH 6.5, the K_(d)for hCG increases dramatically (>25-fold at pH 7.0), whereas the changein affinity for hLH is minimal (<2-fold) (data not shown).

EXAMPLE 3. 2'-NH₂ -MODIFIED RNA LIGANDS TO hTSH SELECTION OF 2'-NH₂-MODIFIED RNA LIGANDS TO hTSH

Analogous to hCG binding described in Example 2, the 2'-NH₂ -modifiedrandom sequence RNA pool bound to hTSH with a K_(d) of >2.5 μM in TEMbuffer. After nine rounds of SELEX in TEM, the K_(d) of the enrichedpool was approximately 30 nM, a significant improvement in affinity. ThePCR products after the 9th round of selection were cloned and individualclones were sequenced. The aligned sequences are shown in Table 7. Inthe full-length RNA molecules, the variable sequence is flanked by5'-fixed (5'-GGGAGGACGAUGCGG-) (SEQ ID NO:31) and 3'-fixed(-CAGACGACUCGCCCGA-3) (SEQ ID NO:32) sequences, which are shown at thetop of the table. All pyrimidines have 2'-NH₂ -modified sugars. A shortsequence (boxed) conserved among all ligands was identified.

Affinity and Specificity.

Selected ligands bind hTSH with K_(d) 's in the range of 15-80 nM. Table8 shows the observed K_(d) values obtained from binding curves with arepresentative ligand (T-15 (SEQ ID NO:43)) and hormones hTSH, hLH, hCG,and hFSH, and with the two individual subunits (alpha and beta). Asindicated by the K_(d) values (Table 8), the specificity of ligand T-15for hTSH is quite high. Ligand T-15 did not bind with high affinity tothe individual α and β subunits, suggesting that this ligand bindingsite may consist of residues from both subunits. Unlike the hCG ligands,the affinity of ligand T-15 for hTSH was not significantly affected bychanges in the pH of the medium (pH range of 5.8-7.2; data not shown).

Secondary Structure of hTSH.

A possible stem-loop structure that can be assumed by ligand T-15 isshown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, if one considers participation of the5'-fixed region (as is the case for hCG ligands), the T-15 sequence canpotentially form an intramolecular G-quartet with two G-planes. LigandT-15 was therefore tested for RNase T1 protection under the conditionsemployed for hCG ligands. In contrast to the altered cleavage patternobserved with the hCG ligands, the RNase T1 cleavage patterns observedwith ligand T-15 were essentially identical in all three buffers (inurea, KCl, or LiCl), suggesting that ligand T-15 may not fold into aG-quartet structure, in spite of the presence of five guanine doubletsin the sequence. These data additionally serve as a good negativecontrol for the RNase T1 protection technique for the identification ofG-quartet formation. Thus, T-15 may exist as either a stem-loopstructure or a single-stranded form.

EXAMPLE 4. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES FOR 2'-F-MODIFIED LIGANDS TO hCG

Materials.

Single-stranded DNAs (ssDNA) were obtained from Operon Technologies,Inc. (Alameda, Calif.). Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; iodinationgrade, 14,000 IU/mg) and human luteinizing hormone (hLH; iodinationgrade, 10,000 IU/mg) were purchased from Scripp Laboratory (San Diego,Calif.) for preparation of affinity matrices and from Vitro Diagnostics,Inc. (Littleton, Colo.) for binding assays. Nitrocellulose membranefilters (0.2 μm pore size; 25 mm diameter) used in filter-bindingexperiments and 30,000 MWCO spin filters were purchased from Schleicherand Schuell (Keene, N.H.). All radionucleotides were obtained from NENResearch products (Dupont; Wilmington, Del.). 2'-F-modified CTP and UTPwere obtained from United States Biochemical (Cleveland, Ohio).

Polymethyl methacrylate-amino beads (6.1 microns, "amino beads") werepurchased from Bangs Laboratories Inc. (Carmel, Ind.). NHS-LC-Biotin waspurchased from Pierce (Rockford, Ill.). Streptavidin was obtained fromMolecular Probes (Eugene, Oreg.). Non-fat dry milk was purchased formCarnation Co. (Los Angeles, Calif.).

Preparation of hCG and hLH Beads for SELEX.

It was found necessary to prepare hCG beads by attaching biotinylatedhCG to streptavidin bound to biotinylated amino beads blocked with milkprotein. Polystyrene beads directly coated with hCG had greatlydiminished binding capacity for antibodies to the alpha and beta chainswhen compared with a two antibody sandwich assay. WithhCG-biotin-streptavidin-biotin-amino beads antibody staining wascomparable to two antibody sandwich assays.

Amino beads, 10% w/v, were first washed (10 volumes PBS+0.1% NaN₃, 2×3volumes PBS+0.1% SDS and 2×3 volumes PBS+0.01% Tween 20) and thensuspended to a final concentration of 3% in PBS/Tween 20 containing 1.5mM NHS-LC-Biotin. After incubating, with mixing, for 1 hour at roomtemperature the beads were washed 2×with 3 volumes of PBS/Tween 20 andthen suspended and stored in PBS+0.1% NaN₃ +2% non-fat dry milk to blockthe bead surface and prevent non-specific binding of proteins. Thebeads, 2.5% w/v, were coated with streptavidin 0.4 mg/mL at roomtemperature for 2 hours and washed with 5×6 volumes PBS+0.1 NaN₃ +0.5%BSA and stored as a 2.5% suspension in this buffer. Biotinylation of hCGand hLH was accomplished by incubation of either protein at 1 mg/mL withabout 0.1 mM NHS-LC-Biotin for 2 hours at room temperature. FreeNHS-LC-Biotin was removed by buffer exchange on a Sephadex™ PD-10column. The presence of biotin on hCG or hLH was confirmed usingpolystyrene beads coated with an appropriate antibody to either proteinand staining with FITC labeled streptavidin. Comparison of fluorescenceintensity with that observed using a FITC labeled second antibody alsogave an estimate of the number of biotin molecules per molecule oftarget protein. The final beads were prepared when excess biotin labeledhCG or hLH was incubated with streptavidin beads (0.5 mg/mL of 2.5% beadsuspension) for 2 hours at room temperature. Finally the beads werewashed with 2×5 volumes of PBS+0.1% NaN₃ +0.5% BSA and suspended at 2.5%w/v in that buffer.

SELEX.

A synthetic single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) pool was used to generate thedouble-stranded DNA (dsDNA) template for the initial random sequence RNApopulation. The ssDNAs contained 40 nt of contiguous random sequenceflanked by 5' and 3' defined sequences (Table 9 (SEQ ID NO:64). Thedefined termini permit the primer hybridization required for PCR andcomplementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis reactions. The template dsDNAs,synthesized by Taq DNA polymerase, have a T7 RNA polymerase promoter atthe 5' end. In vitro transcription of 500 pmoles (1-3×10¹⁴ uniquesequences) of dsDNA with 2'-OH purine and 2'-F pyrimidine ribonucleotidetriphosphates provided the initial pool of uniformly α-³² P!ATP-labeled87-nt random sequence RNAs.

RNA and hCG concentrations used for each selection cycle are listed inTable 10. For each selection cycle, uniformly ³² P-labeled RNAs weresuspended in 100 μl of binding buffer (20 mM sodium phosphate, 150 mMNaCl, 5 mM KCl, 2 mM MgCl₂, and 166 mM urea; pH 6.6), heated at 70° C.for 5 minutes, then cooled to room temperature. For the first selectioncycle, the renatured RNA was added to bead-coupled hCG that had beenwashed with and suspended in binding buffer. The suspension wascontinually mixed on a revolving platform for one hour at roomtemperature. The beads were pelleted in a microcentrifuge at 1,300×g for45 seconds and the supernatant was transferred to a separate tube forquantitation. To remove unbound RNAs, the beads (approximately 1 to 7 μlbed volume) were gently suspended in 50 μl of binding buffer followed bypelleting and removal of the supernatant as described above. The beadswere washed with a single 50 μl volume of binding buffer for selectioncycles 1-4, two 50 μl volumes for cycles 5-7, and three 50 μl volumesfor cycles 8-12. Bound RNAs were extracted by suspending the beads in200 μl of 7M urea plus 200 μl of phenol followed by heating at 60° C.for 10 minutes. After transferring to room temperature, 100 μl ofchloroform and 100 μl of water were added, the suspension was mixed byvortexing, and the aqueous and organic phases were separated bycentrifugation in a microcentrifuge. The aqueous phase was transferredto a new tube and the organic phase was back-extracted with 100 μl of H₂O. The two aqueous phases were combined with 20 μg of yeast tRNA(carrier) followed by recovery of the RNA by ethanol precipitation. Forselection cycles two through twelve, the RNAs were counterselected withbead-coupled hLH prior to selection with bead-coupled hCG. The RNAs wereincubated with the hLH beads for one hour followed by pelleting of thebeads by centrifugation as described above. The supernatant wastransferred to bead-coupled hCG; binding and recovery of bound RNAsproceeded as described for selection cycle one.

Reverse transcription and PCR amplification of the cDNAs wasaccomplished with Tth DNA polymerase as follows: the RNA was included ina 100-μl reverse transcription reaction consisting of 0.2 mM of eachdNTP, 100 pmoles of 3p8 oligonucleotide primer (Table 9 SEQ ID NO:66),0.85 mM MnCl₂, 90 mM KCl, 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.3, and 16 units of TthDNA polymerase. The reaction was incubated at 60° C. for 15 minutes. ForPCR amplification of the cDNAs, 100 μl of a Tth reaction solution,containing 0.2 mM dNTPs, 300 pmoles 5p8 primer (Table 9, SEQ ID NO:65),200 pmoles 3p8 primer, 0.85 mM MnCl₂, 90 mM KCl, 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.3,and 8 units of Tth DNA polymerase, was added directly to the cDNAreaction. PCR parameters were 10 to 14 thermal cycles, with each cyclebeing 45 seconds at 94° C. followed by 45 seconds at 60° C. PCR productswere retained on 30,000 molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) microcentrifugespin filters, washed with 400 μl of water, and finally suspended in 100μl of water. To produce an enriched RNA pool for the next cycle ofselection and amplification, PCR products (50 μl) served as template ina 200-μl transcription reaction that consisted of 1 mM GTP, 1 mM ATP, 3mM 2'-F-CTP, 3 mM 2'-F-UTP, 80 μCi α-³² P!ATP (800 Ci/mmole), 600 unitsT7 RNA polymerase, and T7 polymerase buffer (40 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 12mM MgCl₂, 1 mM spermidine, 5 mM DTT, 4% glycerol, 0.002% Triton X-100).

Partitioning of soluble hCG-bound RNAs from unbound RNAs bynitrocellulose filter binding for binding assays and SELEX cycles 13-16was accomplished by suctioning binding reactions through pre-wet (withbinding buffer) filters. After a wash with 5 mL of binding buffer, thefilters were either dried and counted (for binding assays) or the boundRNAs were recovered by the extraction procedure described above for RNAsbound to bead-coupled hCG. Table 10 shows the percentage of RNA includedin the binding reactions with soluble hCG (at the indicated hCGconcentrations) that was retained on the filters. The RNAs from thecycle 13 700 nM hCG binding reaction were recovered and amplified foruse in cycle 14. RNAs from the cycle 14 350 nM hCG binding reaction wererecovered and amplified for use in cycle 15. RNAs from the cycle 15 150nM hCG binding reaction were recovered and amplified for use in cycle16. RNAs from the cycle 16 150 nM binding reaction were recovered,amplified, cloned and sequenced as described supra.

The reverse transcription and PCR amplification of RNAs isolated fromthe 16th cycle of selection was performed with oligonucleotide primersthat contained terminal Bam HI (3p8V (SEQ ID NO:68)) and Hind III (5p8V(SEQ ID NO:67)) restriction endonuclease sites (Table 9). Gel-purifiedPCR products were cloned into the Bam HI and Hind III sites of pUC18 andsequenced by the dideoxynucleotide termination method using modified T7DNA polymerase (Sequenase 2.0; United States Biochemical) and universalforward or reverse primers.

DETERMINATION OF EQUILIBRIUM DISSOCIATION CONSTANTS (K_(d)).

Equilibrium dissociation constants (K_(d) values) were calculated fromthe relationship (Irvine et al. (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222:739-761):

    q=(f/2R.sub.t) {P.sub.t +R.sub.t +K.sub.d - (P.sub.t +R.sub.t +K.sub.d).sup.2 -4P.sub.t R.sub.t !1/2}                   (1)

(Rifkin and Moscatelli (1989) J. Cell Biol. 109:1-6), where q is thefraction of bound RNA at equilibrium, P_(t) and R_(t) are total hCG andtotal RNA concentrations, and f reflects the efficiency of retention ofthe protein-RNA complexes on nitrocellulose filters. Data sets thatdefine the binding curves were fit to the equation by the nonlinearleast-squares method using the software package KALEIDAGRAPH (SynergySoftware, Reading, Pa.).

EXAMPLE 5. Selection of 2'-F-modified RNA Ligands for hCG

2'-F RNA ligands that bind tightly to hCG were isolated through 12cycles of selection with bead-coupled hCG followed by four cycles ofnitrocellulose filter binding selection with soluble hCG as described inExample 4. Filter binding partitioning was included to remove putativeligands that require interactions with components of the beads otherthan hCG for high affinity binding. In selection cycles two throughtwelve, ligands that were capable of binding to the structurally-relatedglycoprotein hormone hLH were removed from the population by subjectingthe RNAs to a counterselection step with bead-coupled hLH prior toaddition to the hCG beads. Due to the low concentration of hCG coupledto the beads, the percentage of the input RNA that remained bound to hCGnever exceeded 1% (Table 10). Therefore, the improvement in binding ofthe RNA population to hCG was monitored by nitrocellulose filter bindingwith soluble hCG. The unselected random sequence RNA pool bound veryweakly to hCG in the binding buffer utilized for the SELEX experiments.Virtually no binding (<1%) was observed on nitrocellulose filters at hCGconcentrations as high as 80 μM (the highest concentration assayed),suggesting that the K_(d) for the random sequence RNA-hCG interaction issignificantly greater than 800 μM. Significant binding above backgroundbecame apparent after six cycles of selection and amplification.Attempts at enriching this population with the highest affinity ligandsby reducing the hCG concentrations in the later cycles resulted in onlya slight improvement in the observed population K_(d) S. It should benoted that reductions in hCG concentration were done by reducing theconcentration of hCG-bound beads, not by reducing the localconcentration of hCG on the beads. Four subsequent cycles of filterbinding selection also resulted in only a slight improvement inaffinity.

A binding assay was performed to determine the affinity of the cycle 16RNA population for hCG and hLH. The RNA population exhibited a K_(d) ofapproximately 500 nM for hCG. Ligands within these populations canclearly discriminate between hCG and hLH. A comparison of the cycle 16population with the unselected random RNA population revealed a greaterthan three-orders of magnitude improvement in affinity for hCG.

PCR products generated from the RNA population resulting after 16 cyclesof selection and amplification were cloned into pUC18 and sequenced. The47 ligand sequences obtained can be placed into two major classes on thebasis of functional similarities (Table 11). All members of Class 1share a highly conserved 13nt sequence (5'-UUGAACGAUCCUU-3') (SEQ IDNO:39). Class 1 members are further divided into two groups on the basisof the location of this conserved sequence. For some members of Class 1,group 1, one or two of the 3'-terminal nucleotides of this sequencebelongs to the 3' fixed sequence primer binding site. Only ligands 29(SEQ ID NO:96), 33 (SEQ ID NO:88), and 41 (SEQ ID NO:104) havenucleotide substitutions or deletions within the conserved sequence. Asillustrated in FIG. 3A with ligand 9 (SEQ ID NO:80), all Class 1 ligandscan potentially assume a stem-loop structure that places the conservedsequence in the "loop" of this structure. In all cases, formation of thestem involves base-pairing of nucleotides from the 3' (group 1) or 5'(group 2) fixed sequence with selected sequences. Sequences assigned toClass 2 lack the conserved 13nt sequence. Nitrocellulose filter bindingassays, using 100 nM hCG and no hCG, were performed in duplicate foreach ligand as an initial screen for the highest affinity ligands (Table11). All Class 2 members exhibited a high affinity for nitrocellulosefilters with up to 60% of the RNA bound to the filters in the absence ofhCG; a significantly lower percentage of the RNA bound to the filters inthe presence of 100 nM hCG. Six-point binding curves for representative"high" and "low" affinity ligands from Class 1 (ligands 6 (SEQ IDNO:85), 9 (SEQ ID NO:80), 19 (SEQ ID NO:94), 25 (SEQ ID NO:102), 33 (SEQID NO:88), 36 (SEQ ID NO:100), and 41 (SEQ ID NO:104)) with hCGconcentrations ranging from 75 nM to 5 μM were subsequently performed.The measured K_(d) values for these ligands are between 150 and 600 nM(data not shown). The highest affinity ligand, represented by ligand 9,was also the most predominant; five of the 47 clones sequenced sharethis 40-nt selected sequence. Other members of Class 1, Group 1, differfrom this sequence at only one to five nucleotide positions suggestingthat they are the result of point mutations introduced by thepolymerases during the SELEX experiment. The K_(d) values for the ligand9-hCG interaction in the selection buffer and in urine (pre-filteredthrough a 0.45 μm pore size cellulose acetate membrane), as measured byfilter binding, are approximately 155 nM and 75 nM, respectively. Theaffinity of ligand 9 for hLH is about 250-fold lower (data not shown).hCG Binding analyses by surface plasmon resonance with a BIAcoreapparatus provided similar results (data not shown).

Toward the development of an hCG diagnostic assay, the effect of pH onthe affinity of ligand 9 for hCG and hLH was determined. Affinity forboth hCG and hLH was seen to increase as pH decreased. Very highspecificity for hCG is observed at pH values above 6.5.

EXAMPLE 6. INFORMATION BOUNDARY DETERMINATION FOR LIGAND U9

The 5' and 3' boundaries of the minimal ligand 9 sequence (FIG. 3A, SEQID NO:80) required for binding to hCG was determined by identifying thesmallest RNA fragment, resulting from partial alkaline hydrolysis,capable of binding to hCG. Gel-purified 5' or 3' ³² P-end-labeled ligand9 was partially hydrolyzed by incubation at 90° C. for 10 minutes in a20-μl reaction containing 0.5 μg of yeast tRNA, 1 mM EDTA, and 50 mM Na₂CO₃ at pH 9.0. Following this incubation, 5 μl of 100 mM Tris-HCl/1 mMEDTA, pH 7.2, was added. The RNAs were recovered by ethanolprecipitation, washed with 70% ethanol, and suspended in 20 μl of water.Approximately 10 pmoles of partially hydrolyzed RNA was combined witheither 100, 200, or 400 nM hCG in 100-μl binding reactions. Afterincubation at room temperature for 10 minutes, bound RNAs werepartitioned from unbound RNAs by nitrocellulose filter binding, washedwith 5 mL of binding buffer, and recovered from the filters, all asdescribed above. Recovered RNAs were separated on an 8% sequencing gelalongside partial alkaline hydrolysis and RNase T1 digest fragmentladders as sequence markers. RNase T1 digest reactions containedapproximately 20 pmoles of 5'- or 3'-end-labeled RNA and 5 units ofRNase T1 in 10 μl of T1 buffer (7M urea, 1 mM EDTA, and 20 mM Na₃Citrate, pH 5.0) and were incubated at 55° C. for 15 minutes.

The results indicate that the smallest 5' end-labeled fragment withsignificant affinity for hCG has a residue A₇₉ 3' terminus (FIG. 3A).Residue A₃₉ or G₄₀ is at the 5' terminus of the smallest high affinity3' end-labeled fragment. Due to the resistance of 2'-F-modifiedpyrimidines to alkaline hydrolysis, the absence of fragments in thebinding reactions that terminate with either a U or C residue preventsthe precise localization of the boundaries; the possibility of highaffinity fragments with C₇₆ -C₇₈ at the 3' boundary, and U₄₁ -C₄₄ at the5' boundary cannot be excluded by this experiment.

Based on the information boundary results, a truncated 2'-F RNA ligand(FIG. 3B; 9TR1 (SEQ ID NO:117)) was synthesized as follows: A ssDNAtemplate (Table 9; 9TR1 (SEQ ID NO:69) for the truncated 2'-F RNA ligandwas chemically synthesized and PCR amplified using oligonucleotides 5pTR(SEQ ID NO:70) and 3pTR (SEQ ID NO:71) as primers (Table 9). 9TR1 2'-FRNA ligand transcripts generated from the resulting dsDNA templates byT7 RNA polymerase consist of the ligand 9 sequence between and includingA38 and A79, with an additional three G residues at the 5' terminus(required for reasonably efficient transcription). The affinity andspecificity of ligand 9TR1 for hCG is similar to that seen with the fulllength ligand in either SBB (K_(d) =200 nM for hCG, >80 μM for hLH) orurine (K_(d) =100 nM for hCG, >80 μM for hLH), confirming theinformation boundary assignments.

EXAMPLE 7. PARTIAL RANDOMIZATION OF A CONSENSUS hCG LIGAND AND ITS USEIN A "SECOND GENERATION" SELEX

A synthetic ssDNA pool consisting of the conserved 13-nt sequenceselected in the initial SELEX flanked on each side by 13 nt ofcontiguous random sequence and fixed primer binding sites was used asthe starting material for a "second generation" SELEX (CG2N7 (SEQ IDNO:76)) (Table 9). Oligonucleotide primers 5p7 (SEQ ID NO:77) and 3p7(SEQ ID NO:78) (Table 9) were used for the amplification of CG2N7templates. The bead-coupled hCG selection and hLH counterselection SELEXparameters are summarized in Table 12. The improvement in binding to hCGwas more accurately monitored by nitrocellulose filter binding withsoluble hCG. Less than 1% of the unselected random RNA bound to hCG atconcentrations up to 40 μM. High affinity binding to hCG was observedafter three cycles of selection (population K_(d) of ˜300 nM). Theaffinity of the RNA population for hCG improved to a K_(d) ofapproximately 240 nM after six cycles of selection, without furtherimprovement in selection cycles seven and eight. As in the initial SELEXexperiment, the affinity of the RNA population for hLH remainedapproximately 250-fold lower than that for hCG.

PCR products generated from the RNA population isolated after six cyclesof selection were cloned into pUC18 and 43 clones were sequenced (Table13). As with the high affinity ligands selected in the first SELEXexperiment in this example, 37 of the sequenced ligands are capable ofassuming a stem-loop structure which places the conserved, unselected,13-nt sequence in the "loop" structure. No significant base-pairing wasobserved between the selected sequences in ligands 55 (SEQ ID NO:155),76 (SEQ ID NO:145), 77 (SEQ ID NO:157), 81 (SEQ ID NO:158), 82 (SEQ IDNO:159) or 97 (SEQ ID NO:160). As an initial screen for the highestaffinity ligands, three-point binding curves (50, 100, and 200 nM hCGand a no protein control) were performed with each ligand. Results forbinding at 100 nM hCG are shown in Table 13. Complete binding curveswith hCG concentrations ranging from 39 nM to 2.5 μM were performed withthe highest affinity ligands (ligands 14 (SEQ ID NO:124), 18 (SEQ IDNO:119), 23 (SEQ ID NO:125), 49 (SEQ ID NO:138), 61 (SEQ ID NO:141), 69(SEQ ID NO:126), 98 (SEQ ID NO:154)). Ligand 18 exhibited the highestaffinity for hCG with a K_(d) of 150 nM, essentially the same affinityobserved for the highest affinity ligand from the first SELEX experiment(ligand 9 (SEQ ID NO:80)).

EXAMPLE 8. CONSTRUCTION OF LIGAND 25/9 DIMER

Template DNA for an hCG ligand dimer (ligand 25/9 (SEQ ID NO:41); FIG.4) was constructed by annealing oligonucleotides 25DIMR-A (SEQ ID NO:72)and 9DIMR-B (SEQ ID NO:73) to 25/9BRDG (SEQ ID NO:74) (Table 9) followedby ligation of the "A" and "B" oligonucleotides with T4 DNA ligase. Thisreaction consisted of 500 pmoles 25DIMR-A, 500 pmoles 9DIMR-B, 600pmoles 25/9BRDG, and 2.5 units T4 DNA ligase in 50 μl of 1X DNA ligasebuffer (supplied with enzyme from New England Biolabs). Followingincubation at 37° C. for 2 hours, the ligated oligonucleotides werepurified on an 8% denaturing polyacrylamide gel and recovered.Approximately 5 pmoles of the isolated ssDNA dimer template was PCRamplified using Taq DNA polymerase and oligonucleotides 5p8 (SEQ IDNO:65) and 3pDIMR (SEQ ID NO:75) (Table 9) as primers. Ligand 25/9 (FIG.4, SEQ ID NO:41), transcribed from the dsDNA PCR products with T7 RNApolymerase, consists of the first 59 nucleotides of ligand 25 (SEQ IDNO:102) followed by nucleotide positions 33 to 79 of ligand 9 (SEQ IDNO:80) (Table 11). The affinity of ligand 25/9 for hCG (approximately200 nM), as determined by nitrocellulose filter binding, was essentiallythe same as that seen for ligands 9 and 9TR1 (SEQ ID NO:117) alone.

                                      TABLE 1                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Oligonucleotides used to select 2'-NH.sub.2 RNA ligands to hCG and            __________________________________________________________________________    hTSH                                                                           ##STR1##                                                                      ##STR2##                                                                     __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 2                                     __________________________________________________________________________    2'-NH.sub.2 -Modified RNA Ligands to hCG.sup.a                                Clone Number:SEQ ID NO:                                                       __________________________________________________________________________     ##STR3##                                                                      ##STR4##                                                                      ##STR5##                                                                     __________________________________________________________________________

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        Dissociation Constants (K.sub.d 's) For a Representative                      Set of High Affinity RNA Ligands to hCG                                                                  K.sub.d  (nM)                                      Class  Clone Number hCG    hLH     hFSH  hTSH                                 ______________________________________                                        I      27           44                                                               30           20     51      ˜1700                                                                         ˜1600                                 42           6.2    15                                                 II     17           7.5                                                              21           22                                                               35           3.9    9.5     >2000 ˜1700                                 26           22                                                        III    25           6      17.5                                                      32           24                                                               44           14     57      >2000 ˜1800                                 48           20                                                        ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 4                                                         ______________________________________                                        Fragments of hCG RNA                                                          Ligand H-25(SEQ ID NO:27)Used in Boundary Analysis                            ______________________________________                                         ##STR6##                                                                     ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE 5                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Dissociation Constants (K.sub.d 's) of truncated RNA Ligands to               hCG..sup.a                                                                    Class                                                                              Truncated Sequence (5'-3') K.sub.d (nM)                                                                           SEQ ID NO                            __________________________________________________________________________    II Δ17                                                                       GGAGGACGAUGCGGAGGGAACGCGGAGGGGUG.sup.b                                                                   25 ± 13                                                                        (7.5 ± 3)                                                                       35                                   III Δ25                                                                       GGAGGACGAUGCGGAAAGGAGGAGGCUGGGUGCGUC.sup.b                                                              24 ± 9                                                                         (5.8 ± 2.8)                                                                     34                                   __________________________________________________________________________     .sup.a Nucleotide abbreviations C and U are the modified nucleotides          2'-NH.sub.2 --C and 2'-NH.sub.2 --U                                           .sup.b Italicized type represents fixed sequences.                       

                                      TABLE 6                                     __________________________________________________________________________     ##STR7##                                                                      ##STR8##                                                                      ##STR9##                                                                     __________________________________________________________________________     a. nucleotide abbreviations C and U are the modified nucleotides              2'NH.sub.2C and 2'NH.sub.2U                                                   Δ. Indicates Guanines that become protected in KCl buffer          

                                      TABLE 7                                     __________________________________________________________________________    2'NH.sub.2 modified RNA Lignads to hTSH.sup.a                                 Clone NumberSEQ ID NO:                                                        __________________________________________________________________________     ##STR10##                                                                    __________________________________________________________________________     a. Nucleotide Abbreviations C and U are the modified nucleotides              2'NH.sub.2C and 2'NH.sub.2U-                                             

                  TABLE 8                                                         ______________________________________                                        Dissociation Constants (K.sub.d 's) of                                        Ligand T-15 (SEQ ID NO: 43)                                                   Protein               K.sub.d  (nM)                                           ______________________________________                                        hTSH                  14                                                      hLH                   >1000                                                   hCG                   nd                                                      hFSH                  ˜200                                              α-subunit       >3600                                                   β-subunit (hTSH) >3200                                                   ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE 9                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Oligonucleotides used in the Generation of 2'-F-Modified Ligands to hCG       OLIGONUCLEOTIDES (5' TO 3')                                                                                                      SEQ ID                     __________________________________________________________________________                                                       NO:                        40N8: GGGAGACAAGAATAAACGCTCAA-N.sub.40 -TTCGACAGGAGGCTCACAACAGGC                                                                 64                         5p8:  TAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACAAGAATAAACGCTCAA     65                         3p8:  GCCTGTTGTGAGCCTCCTGTCGAA                     66                         5p8V: CAGAAGCTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACAAGAATAAACGCTCAA                                                                           67                         3p8V: GACTGGATCCGCCTGTTGTGAGCCTCCTGTCGAA           68                         9TR1: TAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGTCTCGTTGGTCGTTGAACGATCCTTCGACAGGAGGCTCA                                                              69                         5pTR: TAATACGACTCACTATAG                           70                         3pTR: TGAGCCTCCTGTCGAAGGATC                        71                         25DIMR-A                                                                            GGGAGACAAGAATAAACGCTCAACAGTGATTGAACGATCCTTTCAGCTGGTGGGTA                                                                   72                         9DIMR-B                                                                             TGGTCCCGGAGTCTCGTTGGTCGTTGAACGATCCTTCGACAGGAGGCTCA                                                                         73                         25/9BRDG                                                                            CCGGGACCATACCCACCA                           74                         3pDIMR                                                                              TGAGCCTCCTGTCGAAGG                           75                         CG2N7 GGGAGGACGATGCG-N.sub.13 -TTGAACGATCCTT-N.sub.13 -CAGACGACTCGCCCGA                                                          76                         5p7   TAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGGACGATGCGG             77                         3p7   TCGGGCGAGTCGTCTG                             78                         __________________________________________________________________________

                  TABLE 10                                                        ______________________________________                                        Summary of the SELEX experiment parameters and results for                    2'-F-Modified RNA                                                             ______________________________________                                        Selection                   pmoles       Percent                              cycle    hLH!, nM.sup.a                                                                          hCG!, nM.sup.b                                                                         RNA    RNA!  Bound.sup.c                          ______________________________________                                        1        0        48        2,500 16.5 μM                                                                           0.44                                 2       96        48        500    3.3 μM                                                                           0.23                                 3       96        28        200    1.3 μM                                                                           0.07                                 4       48        28        50    330 nM 0.13                                 5       48        28        50    330 nM 0.20                                 6       48        28        50    330 nM 0.35                                 7       48        28        50    330 nM 0.62                                 8       48        14        50    165 nM 0.47                                 9       48        14        50    165 nM 0.76                                 11      48         7        50     83 nM 0.17                                 12      48         7        50     83 nM 0.32                                 ______________________________________                                        FILTER                                                                        BINDING.sup.d :                                                               Cycle   700 nM    350 nM    150 nM                                                                              75 nM                                       ______________________________________                                        13      11.4       4.1      0.0                                               14                13.0      0.1                                               15                          7.8   2.3                                         16                          6.1   0.8                                         ______________________________________                                         .sup.a) concentration of hLH used for counterselection. A counterselectio     step was not included in the first selection cycle.                           .sup.b) concentration of hCG used for selection.                              .sup.c) the % of the RNA added to the binding reaction that remained boun     to the beadcoupled hCG following the binding reaction and wash steps.         .sup.d) summary of results from nitrocellulose filter binding selections      13-16.                                                                   

    TABLE 11                                                                         - 2'-F-Modified RNA Ligands to hCG.sup.a                                       Percent BoundSEQ                                                               Sequence #100 nM hCGID NO:                                                     Class 1:                                                                       Group 1:                                                                       ##STR11##                                                                                                                                              4    G                                                                               -GUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC4.8181                                                                                                             1     1GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUAGAAGAUCCCGGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .0982                                                                                                                                                   1     0GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUCGGAAGAUCACGGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .5983                                                                                                                                                   4     9GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCGAGAUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .7784                                                                                                                                                   1     ,6,7GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCAGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACA    G                                                                               .6485                                                                                                                                                   1     6GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUCGGAAGAUCCCAGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .4186                                                                                                                                                   4     0GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUCUGAAGAUCCCAGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .2087                                                                                                                                                   3     3GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCAGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUAAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .0388                                                                                                                                                   2     6,48,53GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCUGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCG    A                                                                               .3489                                                                                                                                                   1     8GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUCGAAGAUCCCUGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .6990                                                                                                                                                   5     6GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCUGGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGG    A                                                                               .8591                                                                                                                                                   3     7GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGGUCC-UGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .8992                                                                                                                                                   5    G                                                                               .2693                                                                           19GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAAAGUCCCUCGCAGAGCUUGCUGGUUCGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCGACAG    G                                                                               .8494                                                                                                                                                   3     0GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAAAGUCACUCGCAGCGCUUCCUGGUUCGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .5895                                                                                                                                                   2     9GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAAAGCCCCUCGCAUAGCUUCCUCGUUCGAUUGAACGAUCCCUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               .0396                                                                                                                                                   8    G                                                                               --CUUCCUCGAUCGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC0.9897                                                                                               4     3GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAGAUAAUCCCAAUGAGUCCCUCGAGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCGACAGGG    A                                                                               .9398                                                                                                                                                   2     0GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAGUCAUAAGCCUAACGGUCCCUAGUCAAUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGG    C                                                                               .1399                                                                          Group 2:                                                                                                                                                3     ,36,52GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGCGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAGCUGAUGGGUAUGGGAUUCGACA    G                                                                               .60100                                                                                                                                                  2     8GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAACAGCGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAGCUGAUGGGUACGGGAUUCGACAGGAG    G                                                                               .58101                                                                                                                                                  2     5GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAGCUGGUGGGUAUGGGGUUCGACAGGAGG    C                                                                               .20102                                                                                                                                                  4     5GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGUGAUUGAACGAUCCUU-CAGCUGAUGGGUAUGGGAUUCGACAGGAGG    C                                                                               D103                                                                                                                                                    4     1GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGCGAUUGAACGA-CCUU-CAGCUGAUGGGUAUGGGAUUCGACAGGAGG    C                                                                               .61104                                                                          Class 2:                                                                                                                                               1     2GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAAAGGAGCAUCUGUCGUUAUGGGAGGACGAGG-AAGGGUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               EG105                                                                                                                                                   3     9GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAAAGGAGCAUCUGUCGUUAUGGGAGGAUGAGGGAAGGGUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               EG106                                                                                                                                                   3     8GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAAAGGAGCAUCUGUUGUUAUGGGAGGAUGAGGGAAGGGUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               EG107                                                                                                                                                   1     7GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAAUUGAG-AACCGUCGAUGUGGGAGG-GAGGGAGGAAUUCGACAGGAG    G                                                                               EG108                                                                                                                                                   1     5GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGAGUCAACAAA--GAAAUGGAGGGAGG-AGAGGGAGGAAUUUCGACAGG    A                                                                               EG109                                                                                                                                                   4     7GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGAGCAACCAGA--GAA-UGGAGG-AGG-AGAGGGAGGAAUUUCGACAGG    A                                                                               EG110                                                                                                                                                   5     4GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGAGCCAACCAAAGGAA-UGGAGGGAGG-AGAGGGAGGAGUUUCGACAGG    A                                                                               EG111                                                                                                                                                   2     3GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGAUGGGCUACUCGGGAUCGAAA-GAGGGU--GGGAGGGAGGAUUCGACA    G                                                                               EG112                                                                                                                                                   3     1GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGUGAGGGUG----GAAUAGGAGGGAGGUAUUUGAGCUGGAACUUCGACA    G                                                                               EG113                                                                                                                                                   2     1GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAGUGGUAGAUAUGAGGGAA-GGGUGGGAGGCAACACUAGGAUUCGACAGGA    G                                                                               EG114                                                                                                                                                   2     4GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAGAUCGAAGACAACGU----GGGUGGGAGGGAGGUAAAUGUACCUUCGACA    G                                                                               EG115                                                                                                                                                   4     2GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGUGGAGGGAGGUUAUGAGGGUGGAUGUUAAAGCGCAAUUCGACAGGAG    G                                                                               EG116                                                                          a. Nucleotide abbreviations C and U are the modified nucleotides 2'-FC an 

                  TABLE 12                                                        ______________________________________                                        Summary of second generation SELEX experiment                                 parameters and results                                                        Selection                   pmoles       Percent                              cycle    hLH!, nM.sup.a                                                                          hCG!, nM.sup.b                                                                         RNA    RNA!  Bound.sup.c                          ______________________________________                                        1       0         72        900   4.5 μM                                                                            0.04                                 2       96        48        300   2.0 μM                                                                            0.04                                 3       96        48        100   667 nM 0.27                                 4       24        24        100   333 nM 0.31                                 5       24        12        100   333 nM 0.35                                 6       24        6         50     83 nM 0.49                                 7       24        3         50     42 nM 0.39                                 8       0         3         25     21 nM 0.43                                 ______________________________________                                         .sup.a) Concentration of hLH for counterselection during each selection       cycle. A counterselection step was not included in the first selection        cycle.                                                                        .sup.b) Concentration of hCG used for selection during each cycle. The        quantity and concentration of RNA included in each binding reaction are       shown.                                                                        .sup.c) The percentage of the RNA added to the binding reaction that          remained bound to the beadcoupled hCG following the binding reaction and      wash steps. The beads (approximately 1 to 7 μl bed volume) were washed     with a single 50 μl volume of binding buffer for selection cycles 1-4,     two 50 μl volumes for cycles 5-6, and three 50 μl volumes for cycle     7-8.                                                                     

                                      TABLE 13                                    __________________________________________________________________________    2'-F RNA Ligands to hCG.sup.a                                                 SequencePercent Bound                                                         Number@ 100nM hCGSEQ ID NO:                                                   __________________________________________________________________________     ##STR12##                                                                    18gCAUUCGCUGAUUCUUGAACGAUCCUUGAUGAUGUGGAUGc17.2119                            9ggUUCUACACGAUAUUUGAACGAUCCUUGUAUCUUAGGUCC 9.98120                            59ggUAACUCUUAAUUCUUGAAC AAUCCUUGAAUUUAGCGGACc 1.88121                         72gAUUCGAUGUAGUUUGAACGAUCCUUGUAUAUAUCGGAUc 0.30122                            8ggUUCGAUUCCAAGUUGAACGAUCCUCCUUUUGAUUAGACc 0.73123                            14ggUUCGACACGAAAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUAUCUGUUGGACc15.4124                           23gGUUUAAUACAAAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUUUGCAUUGGACc13.0125                            69GUUUCACUUCAAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUUGGCUUGAGCAc18.8126                             5gGUUUAAUCUCGGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCUGUAAUUAGUCc 3.14127                            7ggAUGAGCUUGAUAAUGGAACGAUCCUUUUAACGGUUCUUCc 0.00128                           10AACACCAAUCUUUUUGAACGAUCCUUCGUGGGAGUGCAU 0.00129                             11GAUUCUCUUUGAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUCAUCGCACUUGC10.0130                             19ggUUUGACGUAUAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUCUAGCUUAGACc 8.52131                           20UGUUCAUGCUUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAUAGUGUUGGU 8.37132                             25UUCCUGAUUCAAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCCUGCUGUACGUC 0.28133                             28gGUUCGAUUUACCUUUGAACGAUCCUUACUUAGCUUCCACcND134                              33ggUUCGAUGGCCAUUUGAACGAUCCUUAUUAUCAACGGUCc 0.59135                           37gAAUUCCCCCAAGAUUGAACGGUCCUUUCUCGCAGAUGUUc 0.00136                           42ggGUUCGAAACUUCCUUGAACGAUCCUUGGAUGUUUUGCUc 0.54137                           49ggUUCGUCAUCGCUAUUGAACGAUCCUUUAGCUGAUGGACc14.5138                            52GAUUUUCCGUUAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUCACGGACUG 6.01139                               58gUCUUAAGUUUGAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUCUUCCAGGCAAc 0.00140                           61ggUUUAGUGUUUUAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUAACACCAGUCC15.5141                            71gAUUCGAUUAGAGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAUCAGUUGGAUc 6.99142                           73gGGUUUUCUAAGUGUUGAACGAUCCUUCACAUAGCGUGUCCc 0.84143                          74gUAAGUUCUAACUUUUGAACGAUCCUUGGCACCCUGACUAc11.5144                            76ACCGACUAAAUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUAUUGUCUCUAUCA 0.20145                             83ggUUUGAUGAGGUAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCCAUCCGUUAGACc 4.48146                          84UUGGUUAUCCAUGUUGAACGUUCCUUCAUGUCGAAUAUGcag 0.24147                          86ggUUCAACAACGUACUUGAACGAUCCUUGUGCUCGUUGAUC 0.57148                           88ggUUCGUUACGAUAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUAUCUUUCAGUCc 0.32149                          89gUGCAUGAUUUAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCCAACUUCCAGCAc 0.21150                            91UUCAUUUUUGUGUUGAACGAUCCUUCACUAACCUACCA 2.36151                              93ggUUCUAGGUCGAAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUUCGCUAUGGAUc 7.25152                          95gGUUUUCCUACUAGUUGAAUGAUCCUUCUAGUUAGAUGCc 1.57153                            98ggGUUCCAGUAUUAGUUGAACGAUCCUU CUUAUCUGGAGUCc11.7154                          55UUUUACUUAUUUAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUUCCCCUAUGCCBKD155                               76ACCGACUAAAUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUAUUGUCUCUAUCA 0.20156                             77CAGUGUCAACAUCUUGAACGAUCCUUUUUUUCAGCGCGU 0.42157                             81UCAAUCAAGCUUCUUGAACGAUCCUUGAUUCGUAACUUCND158                                82UAACAGUCGAUUCUUGAACGAUCCUUUCCACUUCAACCG 0.00159                             97UCUUAACCUUUACUUGAACGACCCUUUAUUAGUUUUUCUBKD160                               __________________________________________________________________________     a) Nucleotide abbreviations C and U are the modified nucleotides 2'-FC an     2'-FU. Bold lettering represents mutations in the conserved region.           Lowercase letters represent fixed primer binding sequences. Underlining       represents possible secondary structure.                                 

    __________________________________________________________________________    SEQUENCE LISTING                                                              (1) GENERAL INFORMATION:                                                      (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 160                                                (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:1:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 72 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:1:                                       GGGAGGACGATGCGGNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN50                          NNNNNNCAGACGACTCGCCCGA72                                                      (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 33 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2:                                       GTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGGACGATGCGG33                                           (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 16 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:3:                                       TCGGGCGAGTCGTCTG16                                                            (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:4:                                       GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAUGGGUGCAGAUGCGGUGGGCACGUGGAGGGGAGC50                          GUACCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:5:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:5:                                       GGGAGGACGAUGCGGACAAGGGCCUGAGUGUGGAGGGCACGUGGAGGGGA50                          CUGGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:6:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:6:                                       GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUACCAUGUGGAGGGAACGUGGAGGGGUGUAUGUCA50                          UACCGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:7:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:7:                                       GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUACUGUAAAACAAUCUGGAGGAGGGUCUAGGGGAU50                          GGUGGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:8:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:8:                                       GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCAGGUAACGAAGGAGGGAGGAGGGUAGGGACGGGA50                          CUGGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:9:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:9:                                       GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUACCAUGUGGAAGGGAACGUGGAGGGCUUAUGUCA50                          UACCGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:10:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:10:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCACGAGGCUAGUGGAGGGUAGCAGUGGAGGGGUAG50                          UGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:11:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:11:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAGUGGAUCGCAGUGGAGGGUACGAGGAGGGGCCCA50                          CUCUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:12:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 65 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:12:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCCCGAAUCUGUGGCGGGUACGUGGAGGGGUCACUC50                          AGACGACUCGCCCGA65                                                             (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:13:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:13:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGACUGGAUCGCAGUGGAGGGUACGAGGAGGGGCCCA50                          CUCUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:14:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:14:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAAUGAGUCUUAACGAGAGGAUGGGUACCAGUGGAG50                          GGGUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:15:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:15:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCACGAGGCUAGUGGAGGGUAGCAGUGGAGGGGUAG50                          GCUGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:16:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:16:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCGAUGCACCUAUGAGGAGGGCACGCGGACGGGACU50                          GGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:17:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 22 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (B) LOCATION: 1, 3, 22                                                        (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N is U/A                                               (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:17:                                      NGNGGAGGGUACGUGGAGGGGN22                                                      (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:18:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:18:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUGGGUAGCAGUGGAGGGGUUCAGUCCUCUUUCUGA50                          AGCUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:19:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:19:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAGGGAACGCGGAGGGGUGUGUCCCCCAGACUACAA50                          GGCGGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:20:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:20:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAGGGUACGCGGAGGGGAUAAGUCCUCAGCCACAGU50                          CCCUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:21:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:21:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAGGGAACGCGGAGGGGAAGCGCCACCCAGAGUUCG50                          GCUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:22:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:22:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAGGGAACGCGGAGGGGAAGCGCCACCCAGAGGUUC50                          GGCUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:23:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:23:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUGGGAACGCGGAGGGGAACGUCCUCACAGCAAUCC50                          ACGGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:24:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:24:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAGGGUACGCGGAGGGGUGUGUCCCCCAGACUACAA50                          GGCGGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:25:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 17 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (B) LOCATION: 1, 5, 17                                                        (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N is U/A                                               (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:25:                                      NGGGNACGCGGAGGGGN17                                                           (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:26:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:26:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCAUAGAAAUAGGAGGAGGAGGAAGGCUAGCCCGCA50                          CGCCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:27:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:27:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAAAGGAGGAGGCUGGGUGCGUCAAGAGUUCUCCCG50                          AGCGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:28:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:28:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUCAGACGAGGAUGGUGGUAGCGGAGGUAGUGGCUG50                          AGGGGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:29:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:29:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUAGACGCGGGAGGAGGGUGGACGCAGCGGACCGA50                          ACCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:30:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:30:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAAAGGAGGAGGCUGGGUGAGUCAAGAGUUCUCCCG50                          AGCGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:31:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 15 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:31:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGG15                                                             (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:32:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 16 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:32:                                      CAGACGACUCGCCCGA16                                                            (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:33:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:33:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN50                          NNNNNCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:34:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 36 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:34:                                      GGAGGACGAUGCGGAAAGGAGGAGGCUGGGUGCGUC36                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:35:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 32 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:35:                                      GGAGGACGAUGCGGAGGGAACGCGGAGGGGUG32                                            (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:36:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 54 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:36:                                      GGAGGACGAUGCGGUACUGUAAAACAAUCUGGAGGAGGGUCUAGGGGAUG50                          GUGG54                                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:37:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 54 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:37:                                      GGAGGACGAUGCGGAGGGAACGCGGAGGGGUGUGUCCCCCAGACUACAAG50                          GCGG54                                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:38:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 54 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:38:                                      GGAGGACGAUGCGGAAAGGAGGAGGCUGGGUGCGUCAAGAGUUCUCCCGA50                          GCGC54                                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:39:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 13 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:39:                                      UUGAACGAUCCUU13                                                               (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:40:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:40:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGNNNNNNNNNNNNNUUGAACGAUCCUUNNNNNNNNN50                          NNNNCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:41:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 106 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:41:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAGCUGG50                          UGGGUAUGGUCCCGGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGA100                         GGCUCA106                                                                     (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:42:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:42:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCGUGGGGGGGUCUGUCCUUUUCACUAGAAGUGACU50                          CUUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:43:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:43:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAUGUUGGCAGCAGGGUCCGACGGCGUAACCUUGCC50                          AGCUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:44:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:44:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAUGUUGGCAGCAGGGUCCGACGGCGUAACCUUGCC50                          GACUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:45:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:45:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUACGUAUGGCACAAUUAGGAGGAGGCUGUGGGGU50                          GAUGGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:46:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:46:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUGGCUUCAGAGGGAGGAACGGAAGAGGCAAAACC50                          ACAGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:47:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:47:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUGGCCUCAGAGGGAGGAACGAGAGCAGCUCAGCC50                          AGGGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:48:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:48:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUGGCUUCAGAGGGUGGAACGAGAGCAGCUCAGUC50                          AGCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:49:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:49:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUGGCUUCAGAGGGUGGAACGAGAGCAGCUCAGCC50                          AGCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:50:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:50:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGAGGUCAGUGGGUGGAAACGAAGCUGCAGGACUCG50                          CGCUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:51:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:51:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCCAUGAGGCGAGUGGGAGGGAGGUUGAAGCGCACG50                          AUUGGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:52:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:52:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGAGGUCAGAGGGUGGCACCGAAAAGAAAGGAGUUC50                          GCCCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:53:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:53:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUUGAGGAGAGCGGGUGGGUGGAACGCAGGAGUAG50                          UCAGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:54:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:54:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCACGUAGAGCUAGUGGAGGGUAGUAGUACACAACU50                          AAAUACAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:55:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:55:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUUGAGGAGAGCGGGUGGGUGGAACGCAGGAGUAG50                          UCCGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:56:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:56:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUACGUAUGGCACAAUUAGGAGGAGGCUCUGGGGU50                          GUUGGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:57:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:57:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAGGCUGGAGGGUGGAGGGAUGCAUGCAGUAUACCG50                          CACCGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:58:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:58:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAAUCACAUGUGGUGGGUACGUGGAGGGGAAAUUGC50                          CGCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:59:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 68 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:59:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCACGAGGCUAGUGGAGGGUAGCAGUGGAGGGUACU50                          GCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA68                                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:60:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:60:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCACGAGGCUAGUGGAGGGUAGCAGUGGAGGGGUAC50                          GCUGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:61:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:61:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAAUCACAUGUGGAGGGUACGUGGAGGGGAAAUGGU50                          GACCGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:62:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:62:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCACGAGGCUAGUGGAGGGUAGCAGUGGAGGGGUAG50                          UGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:63:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 68 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-NH2 modified                            (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:63:                                      GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAAUCACAUGUGGUGGGUACGUGGAGGGGAAUGCGA50                          CCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA68                                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:64:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:64:                                      GGGAGACAAGAATAAACGCTCAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN50                          NNNNNNNNNNNNNTTCGACAGGAGGCTCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:65:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 40 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:65:                                      TAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACAAGAATAAACGCTCAA40                                    (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:66:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 24 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:66:                                      GCCTGTTGTGAGCCTCCTGTCGAA24                                                    (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:67:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 48 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:67:                                      CAGAAGCTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACAAGAATAAACGCTCAA48                            (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:68:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 34 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:68:                                      GACTGGATCCGCCTGTTGTGAGCCTCCTGTCGAA34                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:69:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 61 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:69:                                      TAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGTCTCGTTGGTCGTTGAACGATCCTTCGA50                          CAGGAGGCTCA61                                                                 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:70:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 18 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:70:                                      TAATACGACTCACTATAG18                                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:71:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 21 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:71:                                      TGAGCCTCCTGTCGAAGGATC21                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:72:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 56 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:72:                                      GGGAGACAAGAATAAACGCTCAACAGTGATTGAACGATCCTTTCAGCTGG50                          TGGGTA56                                                                      (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:73:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 50 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:73:                                      TGGTCCCGGAGTCTCGTTGGTCGTTGAACGATCCTTCGACAGGAGGCTCA50                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:74:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 18 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:74:                                      CCGGGACCATACCCACCA18                                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:75:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 18 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:75:                                      TGAGCCTCCTGTCGAAGG18                                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:76:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:76:                                      GGGAGGACGATGCGGNNNNNNNNNNNNNTTGAACGATCCTTNNNNNNNNN50                          NNNNCAGACGACTCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:77:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 32 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:77:                                      TAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGGACGATGCGG32                                            (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:78:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 16 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:78:                                      TCGGGCGAGTCGTCTG16                                                            (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:79:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:79:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN50                          NNNNNNNNNNNNNUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:80:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:80:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCGGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGG87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:81:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 86 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:81:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCGGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          GUUGAACGAUUCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC86                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:82:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:82:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUAGAAGAUCCCGGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:83:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:83:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUCGGAAGAUCACGGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:84:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:84:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCGAGAUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:85:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:85:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCAGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:86:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:86:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUCGGAAGAUCCCAGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:87:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:87:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUCUGAAGAUCCCAGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:88:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:88:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCAGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUAAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:89:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:89:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCUGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:90:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:90:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUCGAAGAUCCCUGAGUCUCGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:91:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 88 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:91:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGAUCCCUGGAGUCUCGUUGG50                          UCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC88                                      (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:92:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 86 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:92:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUUUGGAAGGUCCUGAGUCUCGUUGGUC50                          GUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC86                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:93:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:93:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAAUUGGAGUAUCCCUGAGUCUUGUUGGU50                          CGUUGAACGGUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:94:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:94:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAAAGUCCCUCGCAGAGCUUGCUGGUUCG50                          AUUGAACGAUCCUUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:95:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:95:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAAAGUCACUCGCAGCGCUUCCUGGUUCG50                          AUUGAACGAUCCUUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:96:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:96:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAAAGCCCCUCGCAUAGCUUCCUCGUUCG50                          AUUGAACGAUCCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:97:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 84 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:97:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAGUGCCCUGUUAUCUUCCUCGAUCGAUU50                          GAACGAUCCUUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC84                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:98:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:98:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAGAUAAUCCCAAUGAGUCCCUCGAG50                          AUUGAACGAUCCUUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:99:                                             (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 85 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:99:                                      GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAGUCAUAAGCCUAACGGUCCCUAGUCAA50                          UUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC85                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:100:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 85 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:100:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGCGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAGCUGA50                          UGGGUAUGGGAUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC85                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:101:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 86 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:101:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAACAGCGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAGCUG50                          AUGGGUACGGGAUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC86                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:102:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 85 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:102:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAGCUGG50                          UGGGUAUGGGGUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC85                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:103:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 84 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:103:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUCAGCUGAU50                          GGGUAUGGGAUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC84                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:104:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 83 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:104:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGCGAUUGAACGACCUUCAGCUGAUG50                          GGUAUGGGAUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC83                                           (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:105:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 86 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:105:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAAAGGAGCAUCUGUCGUUAUGGGAG50                          GACGAGGAAGGGUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC86                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:106:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:106:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAAAGGAGCAUCUGUCGUUAUGGGAG50                          GAUGAGGGAAGGGUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:107:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:107:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAAAGGAGCAUCUGUUGUUAUGGGAG50                          GAUGAGGGAAGGGUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:108:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 84 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:108:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACCAAUUGAGAACCGUCGAUGUGGGAGG50                          GAGGGAGGAAUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC84                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:109:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 85 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:109:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGAGUCAACAAAGAAAUGGAGGGAGGA50                          GAGGGAGGAAUUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC85                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:110:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 83 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:110:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGAGCAACCAGAGAAUGGAGGAGGAGA50                          GGGAGGAAUUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC83                                           (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:111:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 86 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:111:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGAGCCAACCAAAGGAAUGGAGGGAGG50                          AGAGGGAGGAGUUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC86                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:112:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 87 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:112:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGAUGGGCUACUCGGGAUCGAAAGAGG50                          GUGGGAGGGAGGAUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC87                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:113:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 86 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:113:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAUGUGAGGGUGGAAUAGGAGGGAGGUAU50                          UUGAGCUGGAACUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC86                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:114:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 86 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:114:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAGUGGUAGAUAUGAGGGAAGGGUGGGAG50                          GCAACACUAGGAUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC86                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:115:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 86 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:115:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAAGAUCGAAGACAACGUGGGUGGGAGGGA50                          GGUAAAUGUACCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC86                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:116:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 86 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:116:                                     GGGAGACAAGAAUAAACGCUCAACAGUGGAGGGAGGUUAUGAGGGUGGAU50                          GUUAAAGCGCAAUUCGACAGGAGGCUCACAACAGGC86                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:117:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 44 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:117:                                     GGGAGUCUCGUUGGUCGUUGAACGAUCCUUCGACAGGAGGCUCA44                                (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:118:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:118:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUUCGACAUAAUCUUGAACGAUCCUUGAUUACUUG50                          GUCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:119:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:119:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCAUUCGCUGAUUCUUGAACGAUCCUUGAUGAUGUG50                          GAUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:120:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:120:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCUACACGAUAUUUGAACGAUCCUUGUAUCUUAG50                          GUCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:121:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:121:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUAACUCUUAAUUCUUGAACAAUCCUUGAAUUUAGC50                          GGACCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:122:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:122:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAUUCGAUGUAGUUUGAACGAUCCUUGUAUAUAUCG50                          GAUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:123:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:123:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCGAUUCCAAGUUGAACGAUCCUCCUUUUGAUUA50                          GACCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:124:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:124:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCGACACGAAAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUAUCUGUU50                          GGACCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:125:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:125:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUUUAAUACAAAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUUUGCAUU50                          GGACCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:126:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:126:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUUUCACUUCAAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUUGGCUUG50                          AGCACAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:127:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:127:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUUUAAUCUCGGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCUGUAAUU50                          AGUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:128:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:128:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAUGAGCUUGAUAAUGGAACGAUCCUUUUAACGGUU50                          CUUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:129:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:129:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAACACCAAUCUUUUUGAACGAUCCUUCGUGGGAGU50                          GCAUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:130:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:130:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGAUUCUCUUUGAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUCAUCGCA50                          CUUGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:131:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:131:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUUGACGUAUAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUCUAGCUUA50                          GACCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:132:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:132:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUGUUCAUGCUUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAUAGUGU50                          UGGUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:133:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:133:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCCUGAUUCAAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCCUGCUGUA50                          CGUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:134:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:134:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUUCGAUUUACCUUUGAACGAUCCUUACUUAGCUU50                          CCACCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:135:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:135:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCGAUGGCCAUUUGAACGAUCCUUAUUAUCAACG50                          GUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:136:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:136:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAAUUCCCCCAAGAUUGAACGGUCCUUUCUCGCAGA50                          UGUUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:137:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:137:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUUCGAAACUUCCUUGAACGAUCCUUGGAUGUUUU50                          GCUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:138:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:138:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCGUCAUCGCUAUUGAACGAUCCUUUAGCUGAUG50                          GACCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:139:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 68 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:139:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGAUUUUCCGUUAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUCACGGAC50                          UGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA68                                                          (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:140:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:140:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUCUUAAGUUUGAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUCUUCCAG50                          GCAACAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:141:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:141:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUUAGUGUUUAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUAACACCAG50                          UCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:142:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:142:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGAUUCGAUUAGAGAUUGAACGAUCCUUUCAUCAGUU50                          GGAUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:143:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 71 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:143:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGGUUUUCUAAGUGUUGAACGAUCCUUCACAUAGCG50                          UGUCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA71                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:144:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:144:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUAAGUUCUAACUUUUGAACGAUCCUUGGCACCCUG50                          ACUACAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:145:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:145:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGACCGACUAAAUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUAUUGUCUCU50                          AUCACAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:146:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:146:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUUGAUGAGGUAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCCAUCCGUU50                          AGACCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:147:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:147:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUGGUUAUCCAUGUUGAACGUUCCUUCAUGUCGAA50                          UAUGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:148:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:148:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCAACAACGUACUUGAACGAUCCUUGUGCUCGUU50                          GAUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:149:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:149:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCGUUACGAUAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUAUCUUUC50                          AGUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:150:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:150:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUGCAUGAUUUAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCCAACUUCCA50                          GCACAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:151:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:151:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCAUUUUUGUGUUGAACGAUCCUUCACUAACCUA50                          CCACAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:152:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:152:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUCUAGGUCGAAAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUUCGCUAU50                          GGAUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:153:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 69 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:153:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUUUUCCUACUAGUUGAAUGAUCCUUCUAGUUAGA50                          UGCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA69                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:154:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:154:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGGUUCCAGUAUUAGUUGAACGAUCCUUCUUAUCUGG50                          AGUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:155:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:155:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUUUUACUUAUUUAUUGAACGAUCCUUUUUCCCCUA50                          UGCCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:156:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:156:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGACCGACUAAAUGAUUGAACGAUCCUUAUUGUCUCU50                          AUCACAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:157:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:157:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGCAGUGUCAACAUCUUGAACGAUCCUUUUUUUCAGC50                          GCGUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:158:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:158:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUCAAUCAAGCUUCUUGAACGAUCCUUGAUUCGUAA50                          CUUCCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:159:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:159:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUAACAGUCGAUUCUUGAACGAUCCUUUCCACUUCA50                          ACCGCAGACGACUCGCCCGA70                                                        (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:160:                                            (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                 (A) LENGTH: 70 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                        (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                          (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All C's are 2'-F modified                              (ix) FEATURE:                                                                 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: All U's are 2'-F modified                              (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:160:                                     GGGAGGACGAUGCGGUCUUAACCUUUACUUGAACGACCCUUUAUUAGUUU5                           UUCUCAGACGACUCGCCCGA7                      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We claim:
 1. A method of identifying nucleic acid ligands to a ChorionicGonadotropin (CG)-related glycoprotein hormone, comprising:a) preparinga candidate mixture of nucleic acids; b) contacting the candidatemixture of nucleic acids with a CG-related glycoprotein hormone, whereinnucleic acids having an increased affinity to the CG-relatedglycoprotein hormone relative to the candidate mixture may bepartitioned from the remainder of the candidate mixture; c) partitioningthe increased affinity nucleic acids from the remainder of the candidatemixture; and d) amplifying the increased affinity nucleic acids to yielda mixture of nucleic acids enriched for nucleic acids with relativelyhigher affinity and specificity for binding to the CG-relatedglycoprotein hormone, whereby nucleic acid ligands of CG-relatedglycoprotein hormone may be identified.
 2. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising:e) repeating steps b), c), and d).
 3. The method of claim 1further comprising contacting the increased affinity nucleic acids withone or more non-target molecules, wherein nucleic acids with affinity tothe non-target molecule(s) are removed.
 4. The method of claim 3 whereinthe non-target molecule is a member of the CG-related glycoproteinhormone family other than the one for which increased affinity nucleicacids are being selected.
 5. A method of identifying nucleic acidligands to a human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)-related glycoproteinhormone, comprising:a) preparing a candidate mixture of nucleic acids;b) contacting the candidate mixture of nucleic acids with an hCG-relatedglycoprotein hormone, wherein nucleic acids having an increased affinityto the hCG-related glycoprotein hormone relative to the candidatemixture may be partitioned from the remainder of the candidate mixture;c) partitioning the increased affinity nucleic acids from the remainderof the candidate mixture; and d) amplifying the increased affinitynucleic acids to yield a mixture of nucleic acids enriched for nucleicacids with relatively higher affinity and specificity for binding to thehCG-related glycoprotein hormone, whereby nucleic acid ligands ofhCG-related glycoprotein hormone may be identified.
 6. The method ofclaim 5 further comprising:e) repeating steps b), c), and d).
 7. Themethod of claim 5 further comprising contacting the increased affinitynucleic acids with one or more non-target molecules, wherein nucleicacids with affinity to the non-target molecule(s) are removed.
 8. Themethod of claim 7 wherein the non-target molecule is a member of thehCG-related glycoprotein hormone family other than the one for whichincreased affinity nucleic acids are being selected.
 9. The method ofclaim 5 wherein said candidate mixture of nucleic acids is comprised ofsingle stranded nucleic acids.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein saidsingle stranded nucleic acids are ribonucleic acids.
 11. The method ofclaim 10 wherein said nucleic acids are 2'-amino (2'-NH₂) modifiedribonucleic acids.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein said nucleic acidsare 2'-F modified ribonucleic acids.
 13. The method of claim 5, whereinsaid hCG-related glycoprotein hormone is hCG.
 14. The method of claim 5,wherein said hCG-related glycoprotein hormone is humanthyroid-stimulating hormone (hTSH).